Exosome Therapy: The Forefront of Anti-Aging
Technological advancements have provided the tools to explore the infinitesimal components of our cells. In doing so, we’ve discovered how powerful some of these signalers may be in identifying disease, biohacking health, and treating illness. Exosomes are one such signal that have a huge potential for anti-aging.
What are Exosomes?
Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles. Unlike intracellular signals, that function within the cells, exosomes travel in the extracellular fluid (like the blood), communicating from one cell to another. They are often referred to as membrane-bound vesicles and although not a cell, they have a surrounding wall protecting the contents it carries. To deliver its message, it fuses its membrane with the target cell’s wall, therefore spilling its contents before being recycled.
Discovered in the 1980s, exosomes were first thought to be cellular garbage bags carrying waste around. In reality, exosomes carry a wide range of material that is used in communication including various proteins, molecules and genetic material. In fact, by inspecting the contents of exosomes scientists can analyze the signals they are sending and distinguish healthy cells from diseased cells.
Exosomes & Aging
As key communicators, exosomes have a large role in worsening or preventing the aging process. There are a few main ways in which exosomes play a role in aging.
1. Cellular Senescence[1,2]
As we age, many of our cells become damaged and are no longer healthy replicating cells. Unfortunately, they do not always become cleaned up in a timely fashion. This means those cells, termed senescent cells, continue to send out harmful signals via exosomes, which then causes a chain reaction of damaged cells. The signals produced are also believed to be a main contributor to the development of chronic diseases like cancer, and to wide-spread inflammation. On the other hand, positive exosome signals are also able to suppress this domino effect of damage.[2]
2. Stress & Aging[1]
Research has shown that stress has a direct correlation on the types of signals sent by exosomes. These signals act as a warning sign, allowing other cells to make preemptive alterations in response to a given stressor. Although highly useful, during prolonged stress these signals create a pro-inflammatory environment that leads to accelerated aging and chronic diseases.
3. Toxic Proteins[2]
Aged cells can also secrete toxic proteins through exosome signaling. These proteins can have pathogenic downstream effects and have been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases in aging.[3] This same effect on brain aging has also been seen in genetic material (exosomal miRNA).[4]
Exosome Therapy
Exosomes are neither good nor bad, as they are just the messengers between cells. However, they do represent an exciting area of research to find methods of suppressing negative signaling, such as from senescent cells, as well as upregulating positive signals and biohacking specific pathways in individual cases. Based on its wide application and ability to influence both the factors and pathways of aging, exosome therapy is at the forefront of anti-aging medicine.
References:
- Panagiotou N, Neytchev O, Selman C, Shiels PG. Extracellular Vesicles, Ageing, and Therapeutic Interventions. Cells. 2018;7(8):110. Published 2018 Aug 18. doi:10.3390/cells7080110
- D’Anca M, Fenoglio C, Serpente M, Arosio B, Cesari M, Scarpini EA, Galimberti D. Exosome Determinants of Physiological Aging and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 2019;11:232.
- Bellingham, S. A., Guo, B. B., Coleman, B. M., and Hill, A. F. (2012). Exosomes: vehicles for the transfer of toxic proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases? Front. Physiol. 3:124. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2012.00124
- Pusic, A. D., and Kraig, R. P. (2014). Youth and environmental enrichment generate serum exosomes containing miR-219 that promote CNS myelination. Glia 62, 284–299. doi: 10.1002/glia.22606
Rachel Erwin, Nutritionist & Content Writer
Rachel is a Nutritionist with a BSc in Biology and Global Health from the University of Toronto, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Nutrition from the University of Ulster. She has counselled and educated clients in Hong Kong, whose health goals ranged from weight loss to detox and hormone balancing. Her love of writing led her to complete ‘Writing in the Sciences’, offered by Stanford University, and since then she has contributed several evidence-based health articles to various publications.