2. Academic Validation
  3. Artemisia argyi-enhanced Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes Alleviates Inflammation in C28/I2 Chondrocytes by inhibiting NF-κB

Artemisia argyi-enhanced Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes Alleviates Inflammation in C28/I2 Chondrocytes by inhibiting NF-κB

  • Int J Med Sci. 2026 Feb 18;23(3):1092-1104. doi: 10.7150/ijms.126119.
Shih-Wen Kao 1 2 3,  Yu-Ting Hsu 4,  Wei-Wen Kuo 5 6,  Tai-Lung Huang 7,  Kuan-Ho Lin 8 9,  Chia-Hua Kuo 10 11 12,  Dennis Jine-Yuan Hsieh 13 14,  Tsung-Jung Ho 15 16,  Shinn-Zong Lin 17 18,  Chih-Yang Huang 4 19 20 21
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Graduate Institute of Aging Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 2 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 3 School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 4 Cardiovascular and Mitochondrial Related Disease Research Center, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 5 Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 6 School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 7 Department of Orthopedics, Chung-Kang Branch, Cheng Ching General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 8 Department of Emergency Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 9 College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 10 Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry, The Education University of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong.
  • 11 Soochow University, School of Physical Education and Sports Science, Suzhou, China.
  • 12 Department of Movement Sciences and Sports Training, School of sport sciences, University of Jordan, Jordan.
  • 13 Department of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 14 Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 15 Department of Chinese Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 16 Integration Center of Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 17 Department of Neurosurgery, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 18 Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 19 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 20 Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
  • 21 Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, ROC.
PMID: 41799761 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.126119
Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with chronic inflammation, causing joint damage and function loss. Current treatments relieve symptoms but don't halt disease progression, highlighting the need for new therapies. Research shows mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can repair joints and reduce inflammation, but direct MSC injection may cause immune rejection, making MSC-derived exosomes a promising alternative. Artemisia argyi (AA) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ageing effects that enhance stem cell function and cellular stability, making it a potential therapy for OA. This study explores whether AA extract can enhance exosomes from Wharton's jelly stem cells (WJSCs) for OA treatment. Results revealed that AA promoted WJSCs proliferation and increased both the yield and size of exosomes. Furthermore, AA-enhanced exosomes significantly suppressed NF-κB pathway related proteins (p-IKKα/β and p-NF-κB) and the matrix degrading protein MMP13 while increasing the expression of the cartilage extracellular matrix protein COL2A1, resulting in a greater reduction of NF-κB signaling proteins and MMP13 expression, along with increased COL2A1 levels. Additionally, these exosomes effectively reversed H₂O₂-induced ROS accumulation, with antioxidant effects surpassing those of untreated exosomes. Further studies using NF-κB activators confirmed that the therapeutic effects of these exosomes were primarily mediated by inhibition of the NF-κB signalling pathway. In conclusion, AA-enhanced WJSCs exosomes improved the proliferation, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant capacities of C28/I2 chondrocytes under oxidative stress. These findings highlight their potential to reduce ROS levels, regulate pro-inflammatory proteins, and inhibit the NF-κB pathway, offering a promising strategy for protecting cartilage against damage caused by inflammatory joint diseases.

Keywords

Artemisia argyi; NF-κB; exosomes; mesenchymal stem cells (MSC); osteoarthritis (OA).

Figures
Products