Mesenchymal stem cell (msc) derived extracellular vesicles are a safer alternative for msc treatment in a rat high fat diet groove model of osteoarthritis

Purpose: Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) hold great promise as treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) due to their immunomodulatory and regenerative capacities. Intra-articular injections with human MSC are under investigation in clinical trials as therapy for OA, but it remains unclear how MSC exert their beneficial effects in inflammation and cartilage repair. Increasing evidence suggests that the therapeutic effects of MSC relies on paracrine signaling via secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs), that can transport a range of molecules, including peptides, mRNA, miRNA, and enzymes.