
EXOSOMES IN DERMATOLOGY: A RECENT BOOM
Dr Athira Mohan
Regenerative medicine has evolved tremendously in the last decade. The newest addition to this being the exosome therapy.
Exosomes are tiny, nanoparticle sized membrane bound vesicles derived from cells like blood cells or stem cells which act as mediators of intercellular connections and signaling pathways. Thus they can modify or influence cell proliferation, differentiation, expression of various proteins etc. They are composed of lipids, different proteins and nucleic acids.
So on treating the desired area (eg: skin or hair) with exosomes, they enter the target cells and modifies the physiological processes of the cell thereby bringing about the desired actions. For eg: Exosomes with a certain miRNA can act via TGF2 receptor pathway to upregulate procollagenase 1 and downregulate matrix metalloproteinases, thus resulting in increased collagen and elastin thus can be utilized for antiageing.
Exosomes can hence be used for skin ageing concerns, pigmentary disorders, hair loss problems, acne scars and many other inflammatory and immune disorders. It is available as topical creams, serums, gels as well as injections. It is also administered in combination with microneedling, microneedling radiofrequency, CO2 laser treatment etc.
Exosomes are isolated from either human or non-human sources like plants, animals, microbes etc. The main challenge lies in the acquisition of exosomes. Screening of the sources, isolation, purification and quantification demands a standardized protocol to ensure safety and efficacy. No exosome product is FDA approved. It may take a few years more to formulate standardization of production and treatment with exosomes.