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Gene & Protein in Disease A review of exosome-mediated treatments

and confirm the morphology, concentration, and surface more favorable when derived from plants. Plant-derived
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markers of the exosomes. Finally, exosome products are exosomes are also proposed to carry a lower risk of eliciting
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stored at −80°C to maintain their stability and biological an immune response and exhibit greater biocompatibility
activity. The process of obtaining plant-derived exosomes as they originate from a non-animal source. 92,108 Given the
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is more limited and is based on the standard techniques natural incorporation of agricultural products into the
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described above for animal-derived exosomes. However, human diet, plant-derived exosomes may offer enhanced
modified techniques and additional considerations are compatibility. In contrast, animal-derived exosomes bear
required, as both types of cells have a different chemical closer resemblance to human proteins, which increases
composition while sharing a similar structure. Certain their risk for rejection.
techniques that have been successfully applied in animal- Addressing the risk of allogeneic reactions is crucial
derived cells do not work for plant-derived cells, such as when considering the application of various exosome
immunoaffinity capture, as there is a limitation in labeling types. Allogeneic reactions occur when the recipient’s
plant proteins and identifying common plant antibodies,
which are important in the characterization phase of immune system identifies transplanted tissues or cells
from a donor as foreign, eliciting an immune response
cultivation. There is also a need for additional steps, such as against them. Currently, the literature showcases mixed
multiple rounds of centrifugation to separate contaminates results on the immunogenicity of exosomes. Although
and certain plant components, such as cellulose and
starch. 85,86 limited, some laboratory and clinical studies indicate
that exosomes derived from allogeneic stem cells have
In summary, the process of obtaining exosomes involves demonstrated a favorable safety profile with minimal
careful isolation, purification, and characterization to immediate and delayed adverse effects. For instance, their
ensure the quality and integrity of preparation, which use in mitigating inflammation in COVID-19 patients
is crucial to the downstream applications and safety of has shown promising results. 109,110 Moreover, compared
exosomes in research and the clinical setting. to conventional cell therapy, exosome administration

Overall, both plant-derived and human-derived has been associated with a lower incidence of immune
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exosomes exhibit significant promise in terms of efficacy rejection. However, as exosomes carry a small amount
and safety, sharing a similar structure. The safety and of allogenic protein, which can stimulate an autoimmune
biocompatibility of plant-derived exosomes have been response, their exact potential to interact with the body’s
investigated through in vitro and in vivo models. 87-92 These immune system still requires better understanding. One
studies reveal a low risk and minimal systemic drug toxicity study investigated the induction of antigen-specific naïve
associated with the use of these exosomes. Notably, there CD4+ T cell activation in vivo through the injection
were no observed instances of tissue damage, alterations in of antigen-bearing exosomes and found that antigen-
immunity, pathological or histological changes in organs, dependent T cell stimulation occurred only when mature
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or increases in inflammatory markers or liver enzymes. 93-96 CD8α and dendritic cells present in the cultures.
Moreover, the literature demonstrates the effective Therefore, it seems many factors are at play when
application of plant-derived nanovesicles across various assessing the risk of allogeneic reactions with exosome
disease models, including inflammation, tumors, and use. From the types of cell surface markers present on
infections, as well as tissue regeneration, cell proliferation, the exosome to the potential environment the exosome
and wound healing. 97-101 will be interacting with, further emphasizing the
importance of ensuring the cultivation process has strict
However, it is essential to note that the use of plant-
derived exosomes is less prevalent and less extensively measures. Through the establishment of standardized
cultivation methods, studies can focus on enhancing the
researched compared to their human-derived counterparts,
resulting in limitations in current studies. Nevertheless, purification process of exosomes to minimize the risk of
allogeneic reactions. One prevalent approach involves
the existing literature suggests several advantages of conducting host cell protein and DNA analyses during
using plant-derived exosomes over human-derived ones. the characterization phase. By identifying the presence of
These advantages include easier mass production, ethical
sourcing, reduced immunogenicity, and a lower risk of parent cell components, this method offers insight into
rejection reactions as allografts. 102-106 Human-derived how process-related impurities may affect the product’s
exosomes, sourced from components such as bone safety by potentially inducing undesired immunogenic
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marrow and stem cells, involve more time-consuming, responses.
expensive, and limited production processes compared It is also important to acknowledge the disadvantages
to sourcing from plants. Consequently, exosome yield is of plant-derived exosomes, including their challenges

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2024) 9 doi: 10.36922/gpd.3230