2. Academic Validation
  3. Exosomes derived from platelet-rich plasma alleviate synovial inflammation by enhancing synovial lymphatic function

Exosomes derived from platelet-rich plasma alleviate synovial inflammation by enhancing synovial lymphatic function

  • J Nanobiotechnology. 2025 Jul 16;23(1):522. doi: 10.1186/s12951-025-03591-9.
Bo Liao # 1,  Yu Tian # 2,  Mengtong Guan # 1,  Wang Han 1,  Weiwei Yi 1,  Kaiting Li 1,  Xiaoliang Yang 3,  Yajuan Niu 1,  Bin Zhang 2,  Peiyu Teng 2,  Dingqun Bai 4 5,  Liang Kuang 6,  Ying Zhu 7 8,  Xiaoyu Han 9 10
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Physical Medicine and Precision Rehabilitation of Chongqing Municipal Health Commission, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
  • 2 Center of Bone Metabolism and Repair Laboratory for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Training Injuries State Key Laboratory of Trauma Burns and Combined Injury Trauma Center Research Institute of Surgery Daping, Hospital Army Medical University, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400000, P.R. China.
  • 3 Department of Blood Transfusion, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, 400016, Chongqing, P. R. China.
  • 4 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Physical Medicine and Precision Rehabilitation of Chongqing Municipal Health Commission, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China. baidingqun2014@163.com.
  • 5 State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, P. R. China. baidingqun2014@163.com.
  • 6 Center of Bone Metabolism and Repair Laboratory for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Training Injuries State Key Laboratory of Trauma Burns and Combined Injury Trauma Center Research Institute of Surgery Daping, Hospital Army Medical University, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400000, P.R. China. kliang1989@tmmu.edu.cn.
  • 7 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Physical Medicine and Precision Rehabilitation of Chongqing Municipal Health Commission, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China. yingzhu517@hospital.cqmu.edu.cn.
  • 8 State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, P. R. China. yingzhu517@hospital.cqmu.edu.cn.
  • 9 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Physical Medicine and Precision Rehabilitation of Chongqing Municipal Health Commission, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China. xiaoyuhan@hospital.cqmu.edu.cn.
  • 10 State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, P. R. China. xiaoyuhan@hospital.cqmu.edu.cn.
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 40671121 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-025-03591-9
Abstract

Background: Synovial inflammation is a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Platelet-rich plasma-derived Exosomes (PRP-Exos), known for their low immunogenicity, have demonstrated efficacy in modulating chondrocyte function. However, the specific effects and mechanisms of PRP-Exos in synovial inflammation remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of PRP-Exos in synovial inflammation induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) in mice.

Results: PRP-Exos were extracted via ultracentrifugation. In vivo experiments revealed that PRP-Exos alleviated pain behaviors and synovial inflammation in DMM mice. Furthermore, it was discovered that PRP-Exos enhanced the synovial lymphatic function in DMM mice and promoted lymphangiogenesis. Meanwhile, the therapeutic effect of PRP-Exos on synovial inflammation was attenuated after inhibition of lymphatic function. In vitro studies demonstrated that PRP-Exos enhanced the proliferation, migration, and tube formation ability of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), via regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Conclusions: This research is the first to reveal that PRP-Exos alleviate pain behaviors and synovial inflammation in DMM mice through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in LECs, thereby enhancing synovial lymphatic function and promoting the clearance of inflammatory cells and associated cytokines. These findings offer a novel theoretical foundation for the treatment of synovial inflammation and Other inflammation-associated disorders.

Keywords

Lymphatic vessel; Platelet-rich plasma-derived exosome; Synovial inflammation.

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