Mao JX, Chen S, Li JC, Wang H, Zhao MX. Exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells: A potential therapeutic strategy for diabetic foot ulcers. World J Diabetes 2025; 16(10): 109763 [PMID: 41113496 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i10.109763]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Mu-Xin Zhao, PhD, Chief Physician, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Shahekou District, Dalian 116000, Liaoning Province, China. zhaomuxin@126.com
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Endocrinology & Metabolism
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Review
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Oct 15, 2025 (publication date) through Oct 22, 2025
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World Journal of Diabetes
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1948-9358
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Mao JX, Chen S, Li JC, Wang H, Zhao MX. Exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells: A potential therapeutic strategy for diabetic foot ulcers. World J Diabetes 2025; 16(10): 109763 [PMID: 41113496 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i10.109763]
World J Diabetes. Oct 15, 2025; 16(10): 109763 Published online Oct 15, 2025. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i10.109763
Exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells: A potential therapeutic strategy for diabetic foot ulcers
Jia-Xin Mao, Si Chen, Jia-Cheng Li, Han Wang, Mu-Xin Zhao
Jia-Xin Mao, Si Chen, Jia-Cheng Li, Mu-Xin Zhao, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, Liaoning Province, China
Han Wang, Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116000, Liaoning Province, China
Author contributions: Mao JX was responsible for data organization and manuscript drafting; Zhao MX undertook the manuscript editing and correction process; Chen S contributed to the revision of figures in the manuscript; Li JC, Wang H and Zhao MX were involved in establishing the conceptual framework and overall structure of the manuscript; All authors have read and approve the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mu-Xin Zhao, PhD, Chief Physician, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 467 Zhongshan Road, Shahekou District, Dalian 116000, Liaoning Province, China. zhaomuxin@126.com
Received: May 21, 2025 Revised: July 7, 2025 Accepted: August 28, 2025 Published online: October 15, 2025 Processing time: 147 Days and 19 Hours
Abstract
Diabetic foot ulcers are among the most severe complications of the lower limb in patients with diabetes. As the immune resistance decreases due to the long-term exposure to hyperglycemic microenvironment, the wound often fails to heal, leading to a poor prognosis. Foot ulcers have a high risk of amputation and mortality rates making it a growing health concern. Recently, exosomes derived from adipose mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to promote tissue healing, making them a popular topic in cell-free therapies. This article focuses on the risk factors leading to the development of diabetic foot ulcers and the mechanisms of non-healing with the hope to provide new directions or targets for future diabetic foot ulcer treatment. Additionally, this article clarifies the potential mechanisms of action of exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells in promoting the healing of diabetic foot ulcers and discusses its clinical application and limitations. This review aims to provide effective scientific evidence for research on the mechanism and clinical application of exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
Core Tip: This review critically analyzes the current state of research on the efficacy of exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells in promoting the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. It offers a comprehensive overview of the risk factors and refractory mechanisms of diabetic foot ulcers and explores the mechanism and application of exosomes derived from adipose stem cells to promote wound healing in patients with diabetes mellitus. This review aimed to provide scientific evidence to support the clinical application of exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
