Mesenchymal stromal cell extracellular vesicles reduce Pseudomonas biofilm formation, and let-7b-5p loading confers additional anti-inflammatory effects.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multiorgan disease caused by mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene, leading to chronic pulmonary infections and hyperinflammation. Among pathogens colonizing the CF lung, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is predominant, infecting over 50% of adults with CF, and becoming antibiotic-resistant over time. Current therapies for CF, while providing tremendous benefits, fail to eliminate persistent bacterial infections, chronic inflammation, and irreversible lung damage, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. Our group engineered mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC EVs) to carry the microRNA let-7b-5p as a dual anti-infective and anti-inflammatory treatment. MSC EVs are low-immunogenicity platforms with innate antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties, whereas let-7b-5p reduces inflammation. This study demonstrates that MSC EVs effectively blocked the formation of antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa biofilms on primary human bronchial epithelial cells (pHBECs), and let-7b-5p loading into MSC EVs conferred additional anti-inflammatory effects by reducing P. aeruginosa-induced IL-8 secretion by pHBECs. This approach holds promise for improving outcomes for people with CF, and future work will focus on optimizing delivery strategies and expanding the clinical applicability of MSC EVs to target other CF-associated pathogens.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study demonstrating that mesenchymal stromal cell extracellular vesicles (MSC EVs) block antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa biofilm formation and that let-7b-5p-loaded MSC EVs reduce inflammation in CF primary human bronchial epithelial cells.