Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanovesicles involved in intercellular communication in the central nervous system (CNS). While stem cell-derived EVs have shown promising therapeutic potential in CNS disorders, their uptake mechanisms and biological effects remain poorly understood.
This project evaluates the regenerative potential of EVs secreted by human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural rosettes (hNR-EVs), cellular structures enriched in neural stem cells. We found that hNR-EVs promote neurite outgrowth and neuronal maturation in both human and murine neurons.
By integrating omics, single-EV analyses, and functional inhibition assays, we identified the major proteolipid protein (PLP) as a key neuroglial cargo mediating these trophic effects. Although PLP is traditionally recognized as the principal structural protein of CNS myelin, it is also expressed in neurons, where its function remains poorly characterized. Our findings suggest a previously unrecognized role for PLP in EV-mediated communication within the CNS.
Respiratory diseases represent a complex challenge in disease modelling due to the multiple factors involved, the cellular heterogeneity of the lungs, and the diverse threats they face. While in vitro lung models can replicate some of these conditions, lung organoids are uniquely positioned to retain organ-like capabilities and mimic relevant physiological functions of the airways. Consequently, they are ideally suited as screening platforms for disease research and as personalized medicine tools to predict treatment responses and facilitate clinical decision-making.
Diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) require models that capture the complexity of the entire lung, particularly the crosstalk between the different cell types that act as a driver of the disease. To address this, our group has established an efficient and reproducible protocol for the in vitro generation of mature mouse airway organoids. Moreover, we are focused in modeling IPF with them. By mimicking the cellular heterogeneity of respiratory tissue, these organoids could help to develop a robust platform for drug screening and novel treatments