Junbo Wang,1 Yu-Jie Liang,2 Xiaohua Pan1 

1Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China; 2The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Xiaohua Pan, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, No. 118, Longjing 2nd Road, Xin’an Street, Bao’an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, Email szpxh4141@foxmail.com

Abstract: Chronic hyperglycemia over a long period can lead to diabetes-related complications, of which diabetic foot ulcers continue to have a huge economic and social impact worldwide. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) have demonstrated positive efficacy in the preclinical research and clinical trial phases of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) treatment. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the properties of MSC-derived exosomes and their biological functions, summarize the therapeutic efficacy of Exos in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and its mechanism of action, and discuss innovative technologies including hydrogel scaffolds and 3D bioprinting to enhance the effectiveness of MSC - Exos in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. This paper also explores the application of innovative technologies such as hydrogel scaffolds and 3D bioprinting in enhancing the efficacy of MSC-Exos in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and highlights the key challenges faced in translating these advanced technologies from the laboratory to the clinic.

Keywords: stem cell-derived exosomes, chronic wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, tissue engineering, translational research