CCR2 Orchestrates Preferential Homing and Therapeutic Efficacy of Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Rheumatoid Arthritis

The clinical utility of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is often limited by pulmonary entrapment and poor systemic distribution, particularly in diseases constrained by physiological barriers such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), where joint accessibility restricts therapeutic efficacy. This study systematically compares the immunomodulatory capacity and inflammation-targeting potential of human gingiva-derived MSCs (GMSCs) and their extracellular vesicles (GMSC-EVs) in vivo. Using an experimental RA model, we demonstrate that GMSC-EVs exhibit superior tropism to inflamed joints compared to GMSCs, resulting in significantly greater amelioration of disease severity, including reduced joint swelling, bone destruction, and balanced pathogenic T-cell responses. Mechanistically, we identify C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) as the critical molecular driver of this targeted homing. Genetic ablation of CCR2 via CRISPR-Cas9/sgRNA knockdown abolishes both the joint-specific accumulation of GMSC-EVs and their therapeutic efficacy. These findings elucidate the molecular basis for GMSC-EVs tropism to arthritic lesions and establish CCR2 as a pivotal target for developing precision-engineered EVs therapies with enhanced specificity for RA treatment.