Neural stem cells can develop into either neurons or support cells in the brain, at which point, they release nanosized particles containing different active components. Previous research in Shetty’s lab found that extracellular vesicles contain microRNAs and proteins, which play a role in reducing neuroinflammation.They do this either directly by interacting with inflammatory pathways or indirectly by regulating cellular processes that help control inflammation in the brain or nervous system. Such cargo makes neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles a potential therapeutic for neurodegenerative diseases.“The key point is that the secreted factors from human neural stem cells, enclosed in tiny extracellular vesicles released by these cells, could be utilized to treat Alzheimer’s disease through a non-invasive intranasal delivery method,” Shetty says.
