Obesity wars: hypothalamic sEVs a new hope

There are currently several pharmacological therapies available for the treatment of obesity, targeting both the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tis-sues. In recent years, small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have been shown to be involved in many pathophysiological conditions. Because of their special nano -sized structure and contents, sEVs can activate receptors and trigger intracellu-lar pathways in recipient cells. Notably, in addition to transferring molecules between cells, sEVs can also alter their phenotypic characteristics. The purpose of this review is to discuss how sEVs can be used as a CNS-targeted strategy for treating obesity. Furthermore, we will evaluate current findings, such as the sEV-mediated targeting of hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and discuss how they can be translated into clinical application.

Automated summary

Currently, there are various pharmacological therapies available for treating obesity, impacting both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have gained attention for their role in pathophysiological conditions due to their unique nano-sized structure and contents. In addition to transferring molecules between cells, sEVs can also modify the characteristics of recipient cells. This review explores the potential of utilizing sEVs as a CNS-targeted strategy for treating obesity and discusses the translation of current findings, such as sEV-mediated targeting of hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), into clinical application.