Professor Lee Jeong-bok’s Research Team Suggests New Therapeutic Potential for Age-Related Diseases
- Views 81
- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2026-05-13
A research team led by Professor Lee Jeongbok of the Division of Biological Sciences has become the first to identify both the anti-senescence effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of stem cell-derived nanovesicles*. The findings suggest new therapeutic possibilities for age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and liver fibrosis.
* Nanovesicles (NVs): Biomimetic nanoparticles designed to overcome limitations of stem cell-derived exosomes while retaining similar biological characteristics.
Stem cell-derived exosomes have attracted growing attention in regenerative medicine and anti-aging therapies. However, their clinical application has been limited by technical challenges in production and the difficulty of maintaining consistent quality control over their active ingredients.
To address these limitations, the research team investigated the therapeutic potential of nanovesicles derived from CD146-positive tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CD146+ TMSC-NVs).
The researchers found that CD146+ nanovesicles effectively suppress cellular senescence by regulating the p53–p21 signaling pathway without inducing cell death. The study identified this pathway modulation as a key mechanism underlying the nanovesicles’ anti-senescence effects.
“This study demonstrates the strong potential of CD146+ nanovesicles as a novel multi-target therapeutic approach for severe age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and liver fibrosis,” said Professor Lee.
The study was conducted in collaboration with Professor Baek Woo-Yeol’s research team at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine; researchers from PLCOskin; and collaborators from Dankook University and Chung-Ang University, together with members of Professor Lee’s team, Kim Ji-eun and Yoon Jinseo.
The findings were published in Biomaterials Research, a leading international journal in biomaterials, and were also featured in BRIC’s People Who Brighten Korea (Hanbitsa).
Publication: Anti-senescence Effects of Nanovesicles Derived from Cluster of Differentiation 146-Positive Tonsil Mesenchymal Stem Cells via Modulation of the Tumor Protein 53 Pathway