Selenium Nanoparticles-Encapsulated Exosomes That Mitigate Acute Liver Injury via an Oral Carboxymethyl Chitosan/Oxidized Dextran Hydrogel

Acute liver injury (ALI), a major global health concern, is associated with limited therapeutic options due to the absence of specific drugs. The key pathological features of ALI, including acute oxidative stress and impaired liver function, provide targets for therapeutic interventions. Herein, an innovative strategy was developed that combines selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSCs-Exos), utilizing their antioxidant and regenerative properties. In addition, to improve SeNP stability and minimize the rapid in vivo clearance of MSCs-Exos, a stable hydrogel-based delivery platform (Hydrogel-Exos-SeNPs) was designed. The Hydrogel-Exos-SeNPs system demonstrated excellent stability and effectively delivered Exo-SeNPs into liver cells. Subsequent in vivo experiments confirmed that this system significantly alleviated liver damage by enhancing liver function, suppressing oxidative stress, and accelerating regeneration. This study presents an oral SeNPs-Exos delivery system as a novel approach to mitigate ALI and restore liver function.