Exosome mediated transfer of miRNA‐140 promotes enhanced chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells for enhanced cartilage repair and regeneration

"First published:24 February 2020" Exosomes (EXs) are nanocarrier vesicles with 20â 50â nm dimensions. They are involved in cell proliferation and differentiation and in protecting the integrity of materials. They can be isolated from plasma and immunoreactive components. Recent studies demonstrated their potential role in cartilage regeneration. To enhance their regenerative effect, molecules like microRNA (miRâ 140) can be loaded in EX that acts as RNA delivery systems. In this study, we combined EX with miRâ 140 to enhance cell differentiation by inducing membrane fusion and consequent miRNA released into the cytoplasm. The carrier RNA complex was successfully synthesized through freeze and thaw method leading to the formation of EXâ containing miRâ 140. The EX morphology was assessed through transmission electron microscopy and their miRâ 140 uptake efficiency through realâ time polymerase chain reaction (RTâ PCR). The effects on bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) were evaluated by in vitro cell culture. Cell adhesion and morphology were studied using a bioâ scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope. Differentiation BMSCs into chondrocytes was analyzed by RTâ PCR and histology. Our results confirm the bioactive role of EX loaded with miRâ 140 in the differentiation of BMSCs into chondrocytes. EXs were biocompatible involving in the cartilage healing process through chromogenic differentiation of BMCS exploiting the tissue engineering route. This study was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF‐ 2017R1A2B3010270) and a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project (HI15C2996) through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health &Welfare, Republic of Korea.