Living Cells and Cell-Derived Vesicles: A Trojan Horse Technique for Brain Delivery

Brain diseases remain a significant global healthcare burden. Conventional pharmacological therapy for brain diseases encounters huge challenges because of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) limiting the delivery of therapeutics into the brain parenchyma. To address this issue, researchers have explored various types of drug delivery systems. Cells and cell derivatives have attracted increasing interest as Trojan horse delivery systems for brain diseases, owing to their superior biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and BBB penetration properties. This review provided an overview of recent advancements in cell- and cell-derivative-based delivery systems for the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases. Additionally, it discussed the challenges and potential solutions for clinical translation.

Automated summary

Brain diseases are a significant global healthcare burden. The blood-brain barrier poses challenges for delivering therapeutics into the brain parenchyma. To overcome this, cell and cell derivative-based drug delivery systems have gained interest due to their biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. This review provides an overview of recent advancements in these delivery systems for brain disease diagnosis and treatment, as well as the challenges and potential solutions for clinical translation.