Would extracelular vesicles be useful for treating Parkinson´s disease? Systemactiv review

• Grant number: 25/03367-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Graziela Garrido Mori Panucci
• Grantee: Maisa Vitória Santos Sales
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Dr Domingos Leonardo Ceravolo. Universidade do Oeste Paulista (UNOESTE). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily manifests with motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, and postural instability, but can also present symptoms in other systems. Currently, there is no disease-modifying treatment that can slow its progression, so its treatment focuses on minimizing symptoms. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are structures released by all cells in the body and are responsible for intercellular communication. Due to their biocompatibility, ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, and capacity to transport biomolecules, EVs-mainly exosomes-have been studied to understand their potential in the treatment of this disease. Therefore, this research aims to analyze, through a systematic review, the employability of extracellular vesicles for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. To this end, the study will be conducted in accordance with the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The electronic literature search will be performed using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases until July 2025 to answer the PICO question: "Would extracellular vesicle therapy be applicable for the treatment of Parkinson's disease?" Disease progression control will be considered the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes will analyze the molecular mechanisms involved in the treatment of PD, as well as the dosage, source cells of EVs, and their extraction and characterization. After selecting the articles and extracting the data, they will be subjected to a bias risk analysis. The aim is to determine the employability of extracellular vesicles for controlling the progression of Parkinson's disease.