EXPLORING THE INTERPLAY OF EPIGENETICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY IN OPTIMIZING STEM CELL THERAPY FOR TISSUE REGENERATION

Abstract

Stem cell therapy offers promising effects in tissue regeneration and respective functional restoration. Particularly, in regenerative medicine, it is a transformative approach. However, despite its therapeutic potential, its translation in clinical setup faces several challenges such as tumorigenicity, poor cellular retention and ineffective differentiation. To address those limitations, alternative approach has been studied since decades by integrating it with nanotechnology and epigenetics. Nanotechnology holds promise in regulating stem cell microenvironment aided by tailored nano surfaces. Moreover, nanostructures offer effective real time monitoring of therapeutic output and the development of precise medications. Nanostructured cargos can deliver specific therapeutic compounds owing the potential to inhibit and promote respective stem cell differentiation, making it more precise. Integrated epigenetic modifications also offer therapeutic applications by regulating gene expression without making any changes in DNA sequences. Primarily studied modifications such as DNA methylation and histone modifications reported to offer effective result in cellular reprogramming, stem cell differentiation and survival. In regenerative pharmacology, reprogramme a cell to become an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell can be done by transcription factors, mRNA, proteins, or small compounds. CRISPR-based editing creates genome-wide reprogrammable transcriptional memory and shows potential for therapeutic gene editing. This review explores novel strategies such as CRISPR-dCas9-based reprogramming, epigenetic modulators, and gene regulation mediated by nanoparticles. Associated challenges with clinical translation, epigenetic stability, and nanomaterial toxicity were also discussed. Advances in stem cell therapy, personalized regenerative medicine, and more potent treatments for degenerative diseases could be made possible by the multidisciplinary synergy between nanotechnology and epigenetics