Soy Protein-Cultured Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Secreted Extracellular Vesicles Target the Neurovascular Unit: Insights from a Zebrafish Brain Injury Model

Cerebral vascular disorders often accompany hypoxia-induced
brain
injury. In this study, we develop a zebrafish model of hypoxia-induced
cerebral vascular injury to replicate the associated phenotypic changes,
including cerebrovascular damage, neuronal apoptosis, and neurological
dysfunction. We then explored the therapeutic potential of extracellular
vesicles derived from Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem
cells (WJ-MSCs) cultured on soy protein-coated surfaces. These vesicles
demonstrated superior recovery efficacy, especially in restoring the
blood–brain barrier integrity and improving neurological function.
Our findings suggest that these potent therapeutic extracellular vesicles,
easily produced from WJ-MSCs cultured in the presence of soy proteins,
may mitigate hypoxia-induced brain injury by decreasing the severity
of vascular disorder caused by oxidative stress. Protein–protein
interactome analysis further suggests that multiple signaling pathways
are likely involved in restoring normal neurovascular unit function.