Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34090456›Full record

ArticleJournal of nanobiotechnology2021

MicroRNA engineered umbilical cord stem cell-derived exosomes direct tendon regeneration by mTOR signaling.

Zhixiao Yao, Juehong Li, Hao Xiong, Haomin Cui, Jiexin Ning, Shikun Wang, Xingyu Ouyang, Yun Qian, Cunyi Fan

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of nanobiotechnology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 58 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
58citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

58 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. MnOMaterials today. Bio · 2026
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  6. Grafts in tendon repair.Materials today. Bio · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Zhixiao Yao *Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
Juehong Li *Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
Hao Xiong *Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
Haomin CuiDepartment of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
Jiexin NingDepartment of Plastics, Binzhou People's Hospital, Binzhou, 256610, China.
Shikun WangDepartment of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
Xingyu OuyangDepartment of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
Yun QianDepartment of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China. lollipopcloudland@foxmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1600-5693
Cunyi FanDepartment of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China. cyfan@sjtu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81830076National Natural Science Foundation of China 82002290
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExosomes are extracellular vesicles of nano-structures and represent an emerging nano-scale acellular therapy in recent years. Tendon regeneration is a sophisticated process in the field of microsurgery due to its poor natural healing ability. To date, no successful long-term solution has been provided for the healing of tendon injuries. Functional recovery requires advanced treatment strategies. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (HUMSC-Exos) are considered as promising cell-free therapeutic agents. However, few studies reported their potential in the tendon repair previously. In this study, we explored the roles and underlying mechanisms of HUMSC-Exos in the tendon regeneration.

resultsExpression of tendon-specific markers in, and collagen deposition by, tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) treated with HUMSC-Exos increased in vitro. In a rat Achilles tendon injury model, treatment with HUMSC-Exos improved the histological structure, enhanced tendon-specific matrix components, and optimized biomechanical properties of the Achilles tendon. Findings in miRNA sequencing indicated a significant increase in miR-29a-3p in HUMSC-Exo-treated Achilles tendons. Next, luciferase assay in combination with western blot identified phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) as the specific target of miR-29a-3p. Furthermore, we applied a miR-29a-3p-specific agonist to engineer HUMSC-Exos. These HUMSC-Exos overexpressing miR-29a-3p amplified the gain effects of HUMSC-Exos on tendon healing in vivo. To explore the underlying mechanisms, a transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) inhibitor (SB-431542), mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin), and engineered HUMSC-Exos were employed. The results showed that TGF-β1 and mTOR signaling were involved in the beneficial effects of HUMSC-Exos on tendon regeneration.

conclusionThe findings in our study suggest that PTEN/mTOR/TGF-β1 signaling cascades may be a potential pathway for HUMSC-Exos to deliver miR-29a-3p for tendon healing and implicate a novel therapeutic strategy for tendon regeneration via engineered stem cell-derived exosomes.

Indexed as

Signal TransductionStem CellsAnimalsExosomesHumansMaleMesenchymal Stem CellsMicroRNAsRatsRegenerationTendonsTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesUmbilical CordMicroRNAsMIRN29 microRNA, ratmTOR protein, ratTOR Serine-Threonine KinasesExosomeHuman umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cellmiR-29a-3pmTORPTENTendon repair

Identifiers

PMID34090456
PMCPMC8180131

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.