Exosomes and Keloid Scarring

Greg Chernoff BSc, MD, FRCSC

The Utilization of Exosomes in Treating Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars

KEY POINTS:

1. Exosomes are 40-100nm lipid membrane paracrine messenger packets, commercially available from placental tissue, whose mesenchymal stem cells secrete a cargo rich in growth and immunomodulatory substances.

2. Exosomes contain messengerRNA, microRNA, and transmembrane proteins from their parent cells, which are important in regulating uptake by other cells.

3. With proper homing events, exosomes can illicit regenerative, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and pain mitigating events.

4. Hypertrophic and keloid scars affect millions of patients annually.

5. The utilization of exosomes in treating these devastating problems are a valuable addition to the armamentarium available in scar therapy.

STUDY DESIGN:

Ten patients with hypertrophic or keloid scars underwent treatment with intradermal exosome injections. Hypertrophic scars were pretreated with Needle Radiofrequency to incite a homing inflammatory reaction prior to injection. Keloid scars were excised prior to injecting the residual bed. Patients were followed for one year. Exosomes prove a valuable addition to the treatment of these complex scars.