Exosome therapy is a way to enhance stem cell treatment for autism using a cell-free therapy that can be administered via intranasal drops.
An exosome is a membrane-bound extracellular microvesicle measuring between 30 and 150 nanometers, which can be used to suppress inflammatory processes and stimulate the differentiation and growth of neurons.
Treatment with exosomes carries the benefits of Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) therapy, but has been shown to be ignored by the immune system. For this and other reasons, it is considered a promising approach to treating the symptoms of autism.
The Synergy Between Exosome and Stem Cell Therapies
Stem cell treatment capitalizes on the ability of stem cells to restore damaged tissue and cells, as well as their positive impact on metabolism and the immune system.
MSC therapies can be used throughout the human body, and they have positive effects on different organs, including the brain. Autism treatment using MSC exosomes (MSC-exo) represents a novel therapy that can be used safely by children at the request of their parents and caregivers.
Understanding Autism and the Need for Advanced Treatments
Conventional therapies have limited effects on autism and often involve psychoactive drugs. Other treatments can include intensive behavioral therapy, speech therapy and social retraining.
Some treatments include hormone therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation, which can have unwelcome side effects for parents and care providers, while only reducing one or two of the most severe symptoms.
Clinics like Swiss Medica are at the forefront of developing stem cell therapy for autism. Using exosomes to enhance this therapy, clinicians are achieving successful outcomes in 70-80% of cases with reduced severity of symptoms in children as young as 3.5 years old.
The Science of Exosomes in Enhancing Stem Cell Efficacy
Exosome therapy targets brain development in order to improve the symptoms of autism. This can include impairments in multiple areas of cognitive function:
- Attention
- Concentration
- Emotions
- Memory
- Speech development
Without treatment, these symptoms can have a severe lasting impact on patients’ development in terms of communication skills, educational attainment and ability to socialize.
What Are Exosomes? Understanding Their Biological Role
Exosomes are produced by most eukaryotes and occur when an endosome fuses with the cell surface, releasing exosomes across the cell plasma membrane. They can contain lipids, proteins and nucleic acids including DNA and mRNA.
This protein content and genetic material gives exosomes some of the characteristics of their cells of origin; by absorbing into destination cells elsewhere into the body, this may allow them to carry genetic ‘messages’ from one location to another.
How Exosomes Enhance the Therapeutic Effects of Stem Cells
Stem cell treatment using exosomes can benefit from the genetic material carried within the vesicles. When combined with Mesenchymal Stem Cells, MSC-exos can offer multiple capacities, depending on the cells from which they were produced:
- Angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation)
- Neuron connection formation (by secreting neurotrophic factors)
- Perfusion improvement (blood and oxygen to the brain)
- Synaptic transmission speed improvement
- White matter restoration
White matter restoration by stimulated multiplication of cells can have beneficial effects in autism patients by improving intellectual capacity and reducing related neurological symptoms.
Clinical Insights: Exosome Therapy in Autism Treatment
Clinical research has demonstrated the safety of MSC therapy in autism treatment. Cell-based therapies show statistically significant improvements in aberrant behaviors, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI).
Further research using MSC-exos found that treatment can reduce compulsive repetitive behaviors and improve social interaction. Female mice treated with MSC exosome therapy also showed improved maternal behaviors, with no negative symptoms.
Future Perspectives and the Road Ahead
Specialist research clinics like Swiss Medica are paving the road ahead toward increasingly effective MSC-exo therapies for autism and other neurological conditions. Safe and effective treatment for autism with stem cells means patients and their parents can feel confident in achieving positive outcomes, without the side effects associated with ‘traditional’ treatments.
In conclusion
Stem cell treatment continues to unlock novel ways to treat some of the most challenging conditions of current times. Combination therapies using exosomes enhance this further, for even greater positive results free from unpleasant side effects and unwelcome symptoms.
