To investigate the protective effect of curcumin (Cur)-loaded Spinacia oleracea L.-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (SL-ELNs) against neuroinflammatory damage in neural cells.

SL-ELNs were isolated and purified from S. oleracea L. using high-speed centrifugation combined with ultrafiltration, and their structure and composition were characterized. Cur was encapsulated into SL-ELNs to prepare Cur@SL-ELNs, and the encapsulation efficiency of Cur was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The release rate of Cur was evaluated using an in vitro simulated digestion model. The hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, Rose Bengal adsorption capacity, and mucin affinity of Cur@SL-ELNs were measured at different pH values. Laser confocal microscopy (LCM) was used to monitor the uptake of Cur@SL-ELNs by mouse BV-2 microglial cells, and the impact of Cur@SL-ELNs on BV-2 cell proliferation was assessed. The effects of Cur@SL-ELNs and Cur on cytokine secretion levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged BV-2 cells were compared using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

SL-ELNs were cup-shaped nanovesicles capable of achieving complete encapsulation of Cur. Cur@SL-ELNs remained stable in saliva and gastric acid but released Cur slowly upon exposure to intestinal fluid, with a release rate of (92.1 ± 4.1)%. Cur@SL-ELNs exhibited favorable adaptive surface properties, facilitating their uptake by BV-2 cells. At concentrations up to 200 ng/mL, Cur@SL-ELNs showed good biocompatibility, repairing LPS-induced damage to BV-2 cells and promoting their growth. Compared with free Cur, Cur@SL-ELNs (100 ng/mL) significantly inhibited the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), while markedly promoting the secretion of IL-10, thereby reducing LPS-induced inflammatory damage to BV-2 cells.

Cur@SL-ELNs possess adaptive surface properties that enable steady-state delivery of Cur into BV-2 cells, exhibiting its anti-inflammatory activity and mitigating LPS-induced inflammatory damage, thereby exerting neuroprotective effects.

This study aimed to analyze the bioactive components of garlic-derived extracellular nanovesicles (GENs) and explore their anti-inflammatory activity against colitis in mice.

GENs were isolated from garlic juice by ultracentrifugation and sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and the morphology and structure of GENs were characterized. Lipids and proteins were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and analyzed by online databases. Meanwhile, RNA sequencing was carried out for sequence identification and target gene prediction of microRNAs (miRNAs). Caco-2 cells were cultured as a model of monolayer intestinal epithelial cells and were determined for apparent permeability coefficient by fluorescence spectroscopy after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The level of nitric oxide (NO) in the supernatant was measured by a commercial assay kit, and interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). C57BL/6J mice were orally administrated with GENs (20, 100 and 500 mg/(kg m_b·d)) to evaluate the toxicity of GENs. The effect of GENs on the disease activity index (DAI) score and colon length of mice with 3% dextran sulphate sodium salt (DSS)-induced colitis was investigated. Colonic tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and observed. The levels of IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α as well as NO in the serum were measured by ELISA and a commercial assay kit, respectively.

GENs were goblet nanovesicles containing 26 lipids, 62 proteins and 317 microRNAs. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) was the most abundant lipid component. Five miRNAs targeting human genes encoding inflammatory factors were predicted. GENs significantly reduced LPS-induced damage to the permeability of Caco-2 cell monolayers, inhibited the production of NO, and regulated the secretion of IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α. GENs were non-toxic towards mice at all doses tested. GENs at 100 mg/(kg m_b·d) significantly decreased the DAI score of mice (P < 0.05), improved shortening of colon length and pathological damage induced by DSS and repressed the increase in serum IL-6, IFN-γ and NO levels.

GENs exert an anti-inflammatory activity probably through their bioactive molecules such as phosphatidylcholine and specific miRNAs. GENs have great potential for alleviating intestinal inflammation and preventing DSS-induced colitis in mice.

To investigate the regulatory effect of soybean-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (SELNs) on lipid metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans.

SELNs were isolated and purified from soybean by ultracentrifugation combined with sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The composition of SELNs was analyzed. The stability of SELNs to in vitro digestion was evaluated. The effects of SELNs (1–100 μg/mL) on the content of lipid droplets in hyperlipidemic C. elegans induced by sodium palmitate (SP) were monitored by two staining methods for neutral lipids: Nile red (NR) and oil red O (ORO), and the content of triglyceride (TG) was determined. The effects of SELNs on the expression of key genes associated with lipid metabolism in C. elegans were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

SELNs were rich in lipid, protein and nucleic acid. The structure of SELNs was stable in the stomach acid environment but was broken in the intestinal fluid. SELNs inhibited the formation of lipid droplets induced by SP, significantly down-regulated the abnormal increase in the relative mRNA expression of fat-5, fat-6 and fat-7 induced by SP, and up-regulated the relative mRNA expression of aak-2. Meanwhile, SELNs significantly up-regulated and down-regulated the relative expression of daf-2 and daf-16, respectively.

Moderate intake of SELNs can regulate the expression of key genes associated with lipid metabolism, inhibit lipid droplet generation, and consequently reduce lipid deposition.