Regenerative Effect of Vaginal Injections of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes in Ovariectomized Rats.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), reduced estrogen levels cause several pathological changes in the vaginal mucosa, including epithelial thinning, decreased blood flow and glycogen production, loss of elasticity, and mucus production. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (ucMSC-ex) facilitate intercellular communication and play a key role in mucosal regeneration and immune response modulation. OBJECTIVES: We examined the therapeutic effect of ucMSC-ex injection on vaginal atrophy in ovariectomized rats. METHODS: Tangential flow filtration was used to extract ucMSC-ex. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: a group receiving sham treatment, a group receiving sham treatment after ovariectomy, and a group receiving vaginal ucMSC-ex injection after ovariectomy. Treatment efficacy was determined by analyzing rat vaginal tissue to observe changes in the vaginal epithelium and in collagenesis, angiogenesis, estrogen receptor count, vaginal lubrication, and inflammatory response. RESULTS: Our preliminary histological results indicated that ucMSC-ex injection enhanced structural restoration, collagen formation, angiogenesis, estrogen receptor expression, vaginal lubrication, cellular proliferation, and anti-inflammatory response in vaginal tissue, indicating its regenerative potential as a treatment for GSM. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the therapeutic potential of exosome therapy in alleviating the symptoms of GSM by promoting tissue regeneration and vascularization, restoring vaginal lubrication, and reducing inflammation. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .