Engineered Exosome-Based Senolytic Therapy Alleviates Stroke by Targeting p21⁺CD86⁺ Microglia.

ABSTRACT: Stroke remains the leading cause of neurological mortality and disability worldwide, with post-stroke inflammation significantly hindering neural repair. Despite its critical impact, mechanism-based therapeutic strategies are scarce. In this study, we uncovered a critically important yet previously unexamined cell population, p21⁺CD86⁺ microglia, which accumulated in ischemic region. Unexpectedly, we discovered that p21 interacted with C/EBPβ, driving C/EBPβ-dependent transcription and upregulating key pro-inflammatory factors such as Il6, Il1β, Cxcl2, and Cxcl10. To specifically target and eliminate these pathogenic p21⁺CD86⁺ microglia, we engineered exosomes with a peptide that selectively binds CD86⁺ micr

SUBMITTER: Yang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12199405 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature