Defective Exosomes May Be Involved in Poor Wound Healing in Diabetics

When tiny vesicular particles called exosomes, which can shuttle signals between cells, are defective in diabetic patients, they can drive inflammation and impair healing of wounds, according to a Nano Today study published August 16, 2023 and led by University of Pittsburgh and UPMC researchers. The article is titled “Nanoscopic and Functional Characterization of Keratinocyte-Originating Exosomes in the Wound Fluid of Non-Diabetic and Diabetic Chronic Wound Patients.” In chronic wounds of diabetes patients, these faulty exosomes can’t deliver vital information to cells that promote wound healing, the researchers led by Dr. Subhadip Ghatak, Associate Professor of Surgery at Pitt, found. These insights open the door to new exosome-focused therapies to promote healing of chronic wounds.