Nasal Mucosa-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as a Systemic Antiaging Intervention

Adv Sci (Weinh). 2026 Jan;13(5):e11372. doi: 10.1002/advs.202511372. Epub 2025 Nov 21.

Abstract

Aging impairs tissue function and regenerative capacity across multiple organs. This study demonstrates that extracellular vesicles derived from human nasal mucosa (nmEVs) exert systemic antiaging effects in aged mice. Treatment with nmEVs improves cognitive performance and alters hippocampal aging signatures related to synaptic signaling and the regulation of neuroplasticity. In parallel, transcriptomic analysis of five major aging-sensitive organs reveals that nmEVs broadly ameliorate age-associated transcriptional changes, notably by restoring circadian rhythmicity and suppressing cellular senescence-related pathways. At the cellular level, nmEVs alleviate senescence phenotypes in aged human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, restore proliferation and osteogenic capacity, and reactivate core clock gene expression. These effects are accompanied by modulation of the p53 pathway, suggesting its involvement in nmEV-mediated rejuvenation. Importantly, lacking the need for cell isolation and ex vivo expansion, nmEVs offer a practical, age-independent source of extracellular vesicles with high clinical accessibility. Together, these findings support the translational potential of nmEVs as a multifaceted therapeutic candidate for systemic aging intervention.

Keywords: EVs; anti‐aging; nasal mucosa.

MeSH terms

  • Aging* / metabolism
  • Aging* / physiology
  • Animals
  • Cellular Senescence / physiology
  • Extracellular Vesicles* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Nasal Mucosa* / metabolism