Stem cell-derived exosomes inhibit the inflammatory response of microglia in neuropathic pain through m6A modification mechanisms

In our in vitro experiments, we found that exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells exhibit a potent inhibitory effect on microglial inflammation, significantly downregulating the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory factors such as interleukin-6 and interleukin-1, and suppressing microglial activation.

However, the underlying molecular mechanism requires further investigation. m6A modification is considered one of the key molecular mechanisms regulating neuropathic pain, but whether stem cell-derived exosomes inhibit microglial inflammation through modulating m6A methylation remains to be further elucidated. Therefore, this study aims to investigate changes in m6A modification following exosome treatment, identify key m6A-modified genes and the regulatory enzymes involved, and use them as research targets to explore the molecular mechanism by which stem cell-derived exosomes alleviate neuropathic pain.