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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Rachel CrosslandORCiD, Professor Anne Dickinson, Dr Xiao WangORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2025 by the authors.Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy across numerous clinical applications, with evidence suggesting their paracrine effects, particularly through extracellular vesicles (EVs), possibly driving functional outcomes. In this study we perform the comprehensive characterization of microRNA expression profiles in human MSC-derived EVs (MSC-EV) compared to their parental cells, cultured under clinically relevant xeno-free conditions. MSCs were isolated from the bone marrows of healthy donors and characterised according to the International Society for Cellular Therapy criteria, while MSC-EVs were isolated using differential ultracentrifugation and validated according to the International Society for Extracellular Vesicle guidelines. NanoString profiling identified 590 mature microRNAs expressed across both populations, with 42 being significantly differentially expressed between MSC-EVs and parental MSCs. Five microRNAs were distinctly highly expressed in MSCs and five in MSC-EVs, while fifteen of the top twenty most abundant microRNAs showed high expression in both populations. MicroRNA expression patterns were validated in an independent cohort. Functional pathway analysis of differentially expressed microRNAs showed enrichment of key biological processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, and immune regulation. This standardised profiling approach develops our understanding of MSC/MSC-EV microRNA cargo, using a transparent methodological approach that allows for the improved comparability of datasets for the development and advancement of MSC-EV therapeutics.
Author(s): Crossland RE, Sanjurjo-Rodriguez C, Reis M, Dickinson AM, Jones E, Wang X-N
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Year: 2025
Volume: 26
Issue: 14
Online publication date: 21/07/2025
Acceptance date: 16/07/2025
Date deposited: 12/08/2025
ISSN (print): 1661-6596
ISSN (electronic): 1422-0067
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26147010
DOI: 10.3390/ijms26147010
Data Access Statement: The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors on request
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