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Journal Article Review Epublish 14 citations

PubMed: 36829582 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020305

Cell-Free Therapies: The Use of Cell Extracts to Mitigate Irradiation-Injured Salivary Glands.

Biology (Basel) 12(2)

Authors: Xinyun Su, Akshaya Upadhyay, Simon D Tran, Zhengmei Lin

Affiliations

  • Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510055, China.
  • McGill Craniofacial Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells Laboratory, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H2X 2J7, Canada.

Abstract

Radiotherapy is a standard treatment for head and neck cancer patients worldwide. However, millions of patients who received radiotherapy consequently suffer from xerostomia because of irreversible damage to salivary glands (SGs) caused by irradiation (IR). Current treatments for IR-induced SG hypofunction only provide temporary symptom alleviation but do not repair the damaged SG, thus resulting in limited treatment efficacy. Therefore, there has recently been a growing interest in regenerative treatments, such as cell-free therapies. This review aims to summarize cell-free therapies for IR-induced SG, with a particular emphasis on utilizing diverse cell extract (CE) administrations. Cell extract is a group of heterogeneous mixtures containing multifunctional inter-cellular molecules. This review discusses the current knowledge of CE's components and efficacy. We propose optimal approaches to improve cell extract treatment from multiple perspectives (e.g., delivery routes, preparation methods, and other details regarding CE administration). In addition, the advantages and limitations of CE treatment are systematically discussed by comparing it to other cell-free (such as conditioned media and exosomes) and cell-based therapies. Although a comprehensive identification of the bioactive factors within CEs and their mechanisms of action have yet to be fully understood, we propose cell extract therapy as an effective, practical, user-friendly, and safe option to conventional therapies in IR-induced SG.

MeSH

Cells, Xerostomia, Salivary Glands, Regenerative Medicine, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Culture Media, Conditioned, Therapeutics, Cell Extracts

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