BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of mortality and disability for all ages worldwide. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-originated exosomes have provided therapeutic effects. However, as an indispensable component of MSCs, whether odontogenic stem cell-generated exosomes could benefit TBI is still unclear. Thus we aimed to explore the potential of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth-originated exosomes (SHED-Ex) for the management of TBI.MethodsFirst, a transwell system was used to co-culture activated BV-2 microglia cells with SHED. The secretion levels of neuroinflammatory factors and nitrite were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Griess assay. Furthermore, purified SHED-Ex were co-cultured with activated BV-2. ELISA, Griess assay, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and qRT-PCR were performed to test the levels of inflammatory factors as well as the microglia phenotype. Finally, SHED and SHED-Ex were locally injected into TBI rat models. Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores were chosen to evaluate the motor functional recovery. Histopathology and immunofluorescence were performed to measure the lesion volume and neuroinflammation.ResultsAs a result, SHED-Ex could reduce neuroinflammation by shifting microglia polarization. The administration of SHED-Ex improves rat motor functional recovery and reduces cortical lesion compared with the control group 2 weeks post-injury (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe current study demonstrates for the first time that SHED-Ex contribute a therapeutic benefit to TBI in rats, at least in part by shifting microglia polarization to reduce neuroinflammation. The use of odontogenic stem cells, and indeed their exosomes, may be expanded for the treatment of TBI or other neurological disorders.

Signal transduction between different organs is crucial in the normal development of the human body. As an important medium for signal communication, exosomes can transfer important information, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), from donors to receptors. MiRNAs are known to fine-tune a variety of biological processes, including maxillofacial development; however, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. In the present study, transient apoptosis was found to be due to the expression of a miniature swine maxillofacial-specific miRNA, ssc-mir-133b. Upregulation of ssc-mir-133b resulted in robust apoptosis in primary dental mesenchymal cells in the maxillofacial region. Cell leukemia myeloid 1 (Mcl-1) was verified as the functional target, which triggered further downstream activation of endogenous mitochondria-related apoptotic processes during tooth development. More importantly, mandible exosomes were responsible for the initial apoptosis signal. An animal study demonstrated that ectopic expression of ssc-mir-133b resulted in failed tooth formation after 12 weeks of subcutaneous transplantation in nude mice. The tooth germ developed abnormally without the indispensable exosomal signals from the mandible.