Applications of Exosomal miRNAs from Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Skin Boosters.

The skin is the outer layer of the human body, and it is crucial in defending against injuries and damage. The regenerative capacity of aging and damaged skin caused by exposure to external stimuli is significantly impaired. Currently, the rise in average life expectancy and the modern population's aesthetic standards have sparked a desire for stem-cell-based therapies that can address skin health conditions. In recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as therapeutic agents have provided a promising and effective alternative for managing skin regeneration and rejuvenation, attributing to their healing capacities that can be applied to damaged and aged skin. However, it has been established that the therapeutic effects of MSC may be primarily mediated by paracrine mechanisms, particularly the release of exosomes (Exos). Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles (EVs) that have lipid bilayer and membrane structures and can be naturally released by different types of cells. They influence the physiological and pathological processes of recipient cells by transferring a variety of bioactive molecules, including lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids such as messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) between cells, thus playing an important role in intercellular communication and activating signaling pathways in target cells. Among them, miRNAs, a type of endogenous regulatory non-coding RNA, are often incorporated into exosomes as important signaling molecules regulating protein biosynthesis. Emerging evidence suggests that exosomal miRNAs from MSC play a key role in skin regeneration and rejuvenation by targeting multiple genes and regulating various biological processes, such as participating in inflammatory responses, cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. In this review, we summarize the recent studies and observations on how MSC-derived exosomal miRNAs contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of skin tissue, with particular attention to the applications of bioengineering methods for manipulating the miRNA content of exosome cargo to improve their therapeutic potential. This review can provide new clues for the diagnosis and treatment of skin damage and aging, as well as assist investigators in exploring innovative therapeutic strategies for treating a multitude of skin problems with the aim of delaying skin aging, promoting skin regeneration, and maintaining healthy skin.

Basilar artery plaque distribution is associated with pontine infarction and vertebrobasilar artery geometry.

Background: Basilar artery (BA) atherosclerosis is a common cause of posterior-circulation ischemic stroke. In this study, we investigate the relationship between BA plaque distribution and pontine infarction (PI), further, explore the influence of vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) geometries on BA plaque distribution. Materials and methods: 303 patients were performed with MRI in this study, patients were divided into three groups: no cerebral infarction (NCI), anterior circulation cerebral infarction (ACCI), and posterior circulation cerebral infarction (PCCI), the VBA geometry was classified into four configurations: Walking, Tuning Fork, Lambda, and No Confluence. The AP-Mid-BA, Lateral-Mid-BA, and VA-BA angles were measured on three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography. Patients underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the BA plaque distribution (either anterior, posterior, or lateral wall). Acute and subacute cerebral infarction [including pontine infarction (PI)] were identified by T2 weighted imaging-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and diffusion-weighted imaging. Results: The presence of BA plaque (P < 0.001) were associated with PCCI. Eighty-six patients all with BA plaque were further analyzed, compared with patients without pontine infarction, patients with pontine infarction were more likely to have plaque distributed at the posterior wall (P = 0.009) and have larger VA-BA anger (38.72° ± 26.01° vs. 26.59° ± 17.33°, P = 0.035). BA plaques in patients with pontine infarction were more frequently located at the posterior wall (50.00%) than at the anterior (10.00%) and lateral (37.50%) walls (P = 0.028). In Walking, Lambda and No Confluence geometry, BA plaques were prone to located at the lateral wall than at the anterior and posterior walls (all P ≤ 0.05). In the Tuning Fork group, BA plaques were evenly distributed. Conclusion: BA plaque was related to PCCI, BA plaque distribution was associated with PI, and VBA configuration strongly influences BA plaque distribution.

Alterations of arterial morphology in patients with aberrant subclavian artery and type B dissection and its association with dissection.

OBJECTIVE: The arterial morphology in patients with aberrant subclavian artery (ASA) and its association with type B aortic dissection are important for treatment and prevention. In the present study, we examined the arterial morphology of ASA patients with type B dissection and evaluated its association with type B dissection in vivo. METHODS: Patients with aortic dissection who had undergone computed tomography angiography were screened for the presence of ASA and type B dissection from January 2011 to May 2021. The angles of ascending aorta, aortic arch, and aortic deviation and the diameters of the ascending aorta, aortic arch, ASA ostium, and middle ASA segment were measured on the computed tomography angiography scans of the ASA patients with type B dissection (group 1; n = 16), clinically matched counterparts without type B dissection (group 2; n = 32), and patients with clinically matched type B dissection without ASA (group 3, n = 32). The correlation between ASA morphology and type B dissection was analyzed using variance analysis or the Wallis H test. RESULTS: Compared with group 2, group 1 had a sharper ascending aortic angle (131.5° ± 13.7° vs 148.1° ± 7.8°; P = .001), a larger aortic deviation angle in plane 2 (28.2° ± 6.0° vs 22.1° ±7.2°; P = .005) and plane 3 (26.4° ±7.3° vs 21.8° ± 6.3°; P = .028). Similarly, group 1 had a greater diameter in the ascending aorta and aortic arch and the ostium and middle of the ASA (38.3 ± 4.1 mm vs 33.6 ± 4.5 mm [P = .001]; 34.0 ± 9.3 mm vs 26.2 ± 2.9 mm [P = .004]; 20.3 ± 9.3 mm vs 14.0 ± 3.2 mm [P = .018]; 10.8 ± 2.3 mm vs 9.0 ± 1.5 mm [P = .002], respectively), without a significant difference in the aortic arch angle. Compared with group 3, group 1 had a sharper ascending aortic angle (131.5° ± 13.7° vs 142.5° ± 11.7°; P = .026) and smaller aortic deviation angle in plane 1 (21.7° ± 6.2° vs 28.9° ± 6.2°; P = .04) and plane 3 (26.4° ± 7.3° vs 21.8° ± 6.3°; P = .007), although with no significant differences in the aortic arch angle, aortic deviation angle in plane 2, and ascending aortic diameter. CONCLUSIONS: The diameters of the ostium and middle segment of the ASA and ascending aorta and the angles of the ascending aorta and aortic deviation are potential risk factors for type B dissection in patients with ASA, which could provide new insights into the mechanism of type B dissection in patients with ASA.

Geometrical characteristics associated with atherosclerotic disease in the basilar artery: a magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging study.

BACKGROUND: Vascular geometry may play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the geometrical characteristics of basilar artery (BA) and the presence, burden, and distribution of BA plaques using magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging. METHODS: Patients with cerebrovascular symptoms in the posterior circulation were recruited and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. The BA's geometrical characteristics, including actual length, straightened length, tortuosity, lateral basilar artery-vertebral artery (VA) angle, lateral mid-BA angle, and BA convexity, were measured. The presence of plaques, stenosis, and plaque burden, including mean and maximal wall thickness, were evaluated. The BA's cross-sectional vessel wall was divided into 4 quadrants: dorsal, ventral, right, and left quadrant. The distribution of BA plaques was analyzed. RESULTS: Of 344 recruited patients (mean age: 68.1±11.1 years; 200 males), 100 (29.1%) had BA plaques. Patients with BA plaques had higher tortuosity of the BA (13.6±9.0 vs. 9.7±7.7, P<0.001) compared to those without BA plaques. Multivariate regression analysis showed that tortuosity of the BA was associated with the presence of BA plaques (OR, 1.641; 95% CI, 1.232 to 2.186; P=0.001) and mean wall thickness (ß, 0.045; 95% CI, 0.008 to 0.081; P=0.017). The plaque distribution in the left wall and right wall of BA was more frequent in patients with right (P=0.006) and left (P<0.001) convex BA, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The BA's geometrical characteristics, particularly tortuosity and convexity, are independently associated with the presence, burden, and distribution of plaques in the BA.

Association between the vertebrobasilar artery geometry and basilar artery plaques determined by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic plaques are often present in regions of arteries with complicated flow patterns. Vascular morphology plays important role in hemodynamics. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the geometry of the vertebrobasilar artery system and presence of basilar artery (BA) plaque. METHODS: We enrolled 290 patients with posterior circulation ischemic stroke. We distinguished four configurations of the vertebrobasilar artery: Walking, Tuning Fork, Lambda, and No Confluence. Patients were divided into multi-bending (≥ 3 bends) and oligo-bending (< 3 bends) VA groups. The diameter of the vertebral artery (VA) and the number of bends in the intracranial VA segment were assessed using three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate BA plaques. Logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship between the geometry type and BA plaque prevalence. RESULTS: After adjusting for sex, age, body mass index ≥ 28, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, the Walking, Lambda, and No Confluence geometries were associated with the presence of BA plaque (all p < 0.05). Patients with multi-bending VAs in both the Walking (20/28, 71.43% vs. 6/21, 28.57%, p = 0.003) and Lambda group (19/47, 40.43% vs. 21/97, 21.65%, p = 0.018) had more plaques compared to patients with oligo-bending VAs in these groups. In the Lambda group, the difference in diameter of bilateral VAs was larger in patients with BA plaques than that in patients without BA plaques (1.4 mm [IQR: 0.9-1.6 mm] vs. 0.9 mm [IQR: 0.6-1.3 mm], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Walking, Lambda, and No Confluence geometry, ≥ 3 bends in the VAs, and a large diameter difference between bilateral VAs are associated with the presence of BA plaque.