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Review
. 2023 Feb 16:17:1107265.
doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1107265. eCollection 2023.

Exosomes may be the carrier of acupuncture treatment for major depressive disorder

Qin Lyu  1 , Xin Zhou  2 , Liu-Qing Shi  1 , Hai-Yang Chen  2 , Mei Lu  2 , Xian-De Ma  3 , Lu Ren  1
Affiliations
Review

Exosomes may be the carrier of acupuncture treatment for major depressive disorder

Qin Lyu et al. Front Behav Neurosci. .

Abstract

The incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasing all over the world. There is a great need for complementary or alternative therapies with high safety, few side effects, and precise efficacy to care for MDD. In China, acupuncture has significant laboratory data and clinical trials to demonstrate its antidepressant efficacy. However, there is no clear answer as to how it works. Exosomes are membranous vesicles that rely on cellular multivesicular bodies (MVBs) fused to the cell membrane for release into the extracellular matrix. Almost all cell types are capable of producing and releasing exosomes. As a result, exosomes contain complex RNAs and proteins from their relatives (Cells that secretes exosomes). They can cross biological barriers and participate in biological activities, such as cell migration, angiogenesis, and immune regulation. These properties have made them a popular research topic. Some experts have suggested that exosomes may serve as delivery vehicles for acupuncture to work. This presents both an opportunity and a new challenge for improving the protocols of acupuncture as a treatment for MDD. To better define the relationship between MDD, exosomes, and acupuncture, we reviewed the literature from the last few years. Inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials and basic trials evaluating acupuncture in the treatment or prevention of MDD, the role of exosomes in the development and progression of MDD, and the role of exosomes in acupuncture. We believe that acupuncture may affect the distribution of exosomes in vivo, and exosomes may be a new carrier for acupuncture treatment of MDD in the future.

Keywords: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM); acupuncture; alternative therapies; antidepressant; exosomes; major depressive disorder; mechanism; opportunity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The possible pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Formation mechanisms of exosomes: ESEs, early endosomes; LSEs, late endosomes; ILVs, intraluminal vesicles; and MVBs, multivesicular bodies. The plasma membrane undergoes invagination and fusion to form ESEs, and then ESEs continue to develop into mature LSEs and produce MVBs. MVBs are ILVs formed by the reinvagination of multiple LSEs, whose components come from endocytic and secretory (endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi) pathways into the lumen. Subsequently, a fraction of MVBs is transported to autophagosomes or lysosomes for degradation. The fusion of the remaining MVBs with the plasma membrane relies on exocytosis to release ILVs, which are then called exosomes.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Reliable evidence that exosomes may be the carrier of acupuncture treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82274665) and the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (No. 2018YFC1704301).
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