Dominoes with interlocking consequences triggered by zinc: involvement of microelement-stimulated MSC-derived exosomes in senile osteogenesis and osteoclast dialogue

As societal aging intensifies, senile osteoporosis has become a global public health concern. Bone microdamage is mainly caused by processes such as enhancing osteoclast activity or reducing bone formation by osteoblast-lineage cells. Compared with young individuals, extracellular vesicles derived from senescent bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) increase the transient differentiation of bone marrow monocytes (BMMs) to osteoclasts, ultimately leading to osteoporosis and metal implant failure. To address this daunting problem, an exosome-targeted orthopedic implant composed of a nutrient coating was developed. A high-zinc atmosphere used as a local microenvironmental cue not only could inhibit the bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclasts but also could induce the reprogramming of senile osteogenesis and osteoclast dialogue by exosome modification. Bidirectional regulation of intercellular communication via cargoes, including microRNAs carried by exosomes, was detected. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that the key regulator miR-146b-5p regulates the protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway by targeting the catalytic subunit gene of PI3K–PIK3CB. In vivo evaluation using a naturally-aged osteoporotic rat femoral defect model further confirmed that a nutrient coating substantially augments cancellous bone remodeling and osseointegration by regulating local BMMs differentiation. Altogether, this study not only reveals the close link between senescent stem cell communication and age-related osteoporosis but also provides a novel orthopedic implant for elderly patients with exosome modulation capability.