Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (19): 5007-5014.doi: 10.12307/2026.218

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Stem cell-derived exosomes modulate the inflammatory microenvironment and enhance regenerative capacity of oligodendrocytes

Zhang Xixian   

  1. College of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, China
  • Received:2025-08-25 Accepted:2025-11-09 Online:2026-07-08 Published:2026-02-24
  • About author:College of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, Henan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Key Scientific Research Project of Henan Province Higher Education (Basic Research Project), No. 24A360016 (to ZXX)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The dynamic interplay between the inflammatory microenvironment and oligodendrocytes following neural injury constitutes a central pathological feature in neurodegenerative and demyelinating diseases. Stem cell-derived exosomes, leveraging their inherent low immunogenicity, efficient barrier-penetrating capacity, and targeted delivery of diverse pro-repair factors, play a pivotal role in modulating oligodendrocyte differentiation and the inflammatory microenvironment, thereby facilitating neural repair and regeneration.  
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms by which stem cell-derived exosomes regulate the inflammatory microenvironment to enhance oligodendrocyte survival, differentiation, and myelin repair. It seeks to establish a novel "cell-free therapy" paradigm, utilizing exosome-mediated multi-component synergy (miRNAs, proteins, and metabolites) and microenvironmental adaptation for treating neurological disorders.  
METHODS: Literature searches were conducted in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, and WanFang databases, covering publications from 2010 to 2025. Chinese search terms included “exosomes, stem cells, engineered, diagnosis, inflammatory microenvironment, oligodendrocytes, signaling pathways,” while English terms comprised “stem cell-derived exosomes, oligodendrocytes, inflammatory microenvironment, signaling pathway, regulatory mechanisms.” Irrelevant studies were excluded, and 65 articles meeting inclusion criteria were systematically reviewed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.  
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The biological characteristics of exosomes and their roles in the central nervous system were summarized, followed by an in-depth analysis of the inflammatory microenvironment's impact on oligodendrocytes and exosome-mediated regulatory mechanisms, including miRNA-modulated signaling pathways, anti-inflammatory factor secretion, and immune cell function regulation. (2) The regulatory mechanisms of the inflammatory microenvironment on oligodendrocyte behavior and their implications in disease pathogenesis were elucidated. (3) An engineered exosome delivery system incorporating targeted peptide modification and functional molecule loading was proposed, combined with traditional Chinese medicine-derived bioactive components to construct an innovative cell-free therapeutic strategy. (4) At the molecular level, the intricate crosstalk between exosome functional networks and myelin homeostasis was elucidated, providing a novel therapeutic direction for exosome-based targeted delivery systems in treating demyelinating neurological disorders.


Key words: stem cell, exosome, inflammatory microenvironment, oligodendrocyte, signaling pathway, regulatory mechanism

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