Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles as a therapeutic approach to ameliorate bladder injury in animal models of radiation cystitis

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Background Radiation cystitis (RC) is a major complication of pelvic radiotherapy, leading to inflammation, vascular damage, and fibrosis. While mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) show promise in regenerative medicine, their therapeutic effects on RC remain unclear. This study evaluates the efficacy of human umbilical cord MSC-EVs (huMSC-EVs) in mitigating Radiation-induced bladder damage. Methods Animal models of RC were established using 20 Gy pelvic irradiation. Forty-four female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: negative control (NC, no radiation), positive control (PC, radiation only), local treatment (LT, huMSC-EVs injected into the bladder wall), and systemic treatment (ST, intravenous huMSC-EVs). Bladder function and compliance were assessed via metabolic cage and urodynamic studies (UDS) at 6 and 24 weeks. Histopathological changes and inflammatory cytokine levels were evaluated at multiple time points. Results Administration of huMSC-EVs significantly improved urinary frequency and hematuria. Histological analysis showed reduced urothelial disintegration and edema in the early phase, and improved urothelial integrity, reduced hyperplasia and vascular lesions, and restored bladder architecture in the late phase, in the treated groups. UDS demonstrated preserved bladder compliance and voiding efficiency in LT rats, with signi

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.