Decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogels as a delivery platform for MicroRNA and extracellular vesicle therapeutics

In the last decade, the use of microRNA (miRNA) and extracellular vesicle (EV) therapies has emerged as an alternative approach to mitigate the negative effects of several disease pathologies ranging from cancer to tissue and organ regeneration; however, delivery approaches toward target tissues have not been optimized. To alleviate these challenges, including rapid diffusion upon injection and susceptibility to degradation, porcine-derived decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogels are examined as a potential delivery platform for miRNA and EV therapeutics. The incorporation of EVs and miRNA antagonists, including anti-miRs and antago-miRs, in ECM hydrogels results in a prolonged release as compared to the biologic agents alone. In addition, individual in vitro assessments confirm the bioactivity of the therapeutics upon release from the ECM hydrogels. This work demonstrates the feasibility of encapsulating miRNA and EV therapeutics in ECM hydrogels to enhance delivery and potentially efficacy in later in vivo applications.