anti-fibrotic potential of wj-msc exosomes in liver fibrosis: mechanistic insights and dose-response efficacy

Background: hepatic fibrosis is a biological response characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ecm) during the wound healing process. hepatic stellate cells (hscs) play a pivotal role in fibrogenesis, transitioning from quiescent to myofibroblast cell types and leading to excessive ecm production. platelet-derived growth factor (pdgf), a potent mitogen, is produced by activated hscs, stimulating cell proliferation and migration. objectives: this study aims to analyze the impact of wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cell (wj-msc)-derived exosomes on hsc activation induced by pdgf during liver fibrosis. methods: hepatic stellate cells-t6 cells were treated with pdgf-bb for 24 hours to induce activation, followed by treatment with varying concentrations of wj-msc-derived exosomes (0, 25, and 50 µg/ml) for another 24 hours. the effects of exosome treatment on hsc activation were evaluated through flow cytometry, differentiation assays, dynamic light scattering (dls), transmission electron microscopy (tem), rt-pcr, and western blot analysis. results: our study yields promising results, highlighting the potential therapeutic effects of wj-msc-derived exosomes on liver fibrosis. the dose-dependent decrease in fibrotic markers such as α-sma, cola1, and phosphorylated akt protein in pdgf-bb-treated hsc-t6 cells suggests that wj-msc exosomes exert an anti-fibrotic effect by inhibiting hsc activation. conclusions: these findings suggest that exosomes derived from wj-mscs hold therapeutic promise for liver fibrosis treatment by targeting key pathways involved in hsc activation and fibrogenesis. further investigation into the underlying mechanisms of this anti-fibrotic effect and the potential clinical applications of wj-msc-derived exosomes in liver fibrosis management is warranted.