Extracellular vesicle–based drug delivery system boosts phytochemicals’therapeutic effect for neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases(NDs)are a major threat to the elderly,and efficient therapy is rarely available.A group of phytochemicals has been shown to ameliorate NDs;however,poor stability,low bioavailability,and reduced drug accumulation in brain tissue limit their application in NDs.Therefore,a targeted drug delivery system is a feasible treatment strategy for NDs.Extracellular vesicles(EVs)possess many favorable bioactivities and are excellent carriers for targeting brain tissue.This review summarizes EVs as novel phytochemical carriers in ND therapy.First,we discuss the current challenges of ND therapy and the therapeutic effects of phytochemicals for NDs.Second,we highlight the ability of EVs to cross the blood-brain barrier and act as drug carriers to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of drugs for NDs.Finally,encapsulation strategies for phytochemicals in EVs are particularly reviewed,as they are critical for obtaining high loading efficacy and stable drug delivery systems.This review provides new insights into EV-based drug delivery systems for improving the therapeutic effect of phytochemicals for ND treatment.Therefore,the release rate and pharmacokinetics of phytochemicals should be well controlled to ensure the therapeutic efficacy of phytochemical-loaded EVs in the brain.

Consensus statement on research and application of Chinese herbal medicine derived extracellular vesicles-like particles(2023 edition)

To promote the development of extracellular vesicles of herbal medicine especially the establishment of standardization,led by the National Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles,research experts in the field of herbal medicine and extracellular vesicles were invited nationwide with the support of the Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles,Professional Committee on Extracellular Vesicle Research and Application,Chinese Society of Research Hospitals and the Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Chinese Herbal Vesicles.Based on the collation of relevant literature,we have adopted the Delphi method,the consensus meeting method combined with the nominal group method to form a discussion draft of“Consensus statement on research and application of Chinese herbal medicine derived extracellular vesicles-like particles(2023)”.The first draft was discussed in online and offline meetings on October 12,14,November 2,2022 and April and May 2023 on the current status of research,nomenclature,isolation methods,quality standards and research applications of extracellular vesicles of Chinese herbal medicines,and 13 consensus opinions were finally formed.At the Third Academic Conference on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles,held on May 26,2023,Kewei Zhao,convenor of the consensus,presented and read the consensus to the experts of the Expert Committee on Research and Application of Chinese Herbal Vesicles.The consensus highlights the characteristics and advantages of Chinese medicine,inherits the essence,and keeps the righteousness and innovation,aiming to provide a reference for colleagues engaged in research and application of Chinese herbal vesicles at home and abroad,decode the mystery behind Chinese herbal vesicles together,establish a safe,effective and controllable accurate Chinese herbal vesicle prevention and treatment system,and build a bridge for Chinese medicine to the world.

Rhizoma Drynariae-derived nanovesicles reverse osteoporosis by potentiating osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via targeting ERα signaling

Although various anti-osteoporosis drugs are available,the limitations of these therapies,including drug resistance and collateral responses,require the development of novel anti-osteoporosis agents.Rhizoma Drynariae displays a promising anti-osteoporosis effect,while the effective component and mechanism remain unclear.Here,we revealed the therapeutic potential of Rhizoma Drynariae-derived nanovesicles(RDNVs)for postmenopausal osteoporosis and demonstrated that RDNVs potentiated osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(hBMSCs)by targeting estrogen receptor-alpha(ERα).RDNVs,a natural product isolated from fresh Rhizoma Drynariae root juice by differential ultracentrifugation,exhibited potent bone tissue-targeting activity and anti-osteoporosis efficacy in an ovariectomized mouse model.RDNVs,effectively internalized by hBMSCs,enhanced proliferation and ERαexpression levels of hBMSC,and promoted osteogenic differentiation and bone formation.Mechanistically,via the ERαsignaling pathway,RDNVs facilitated mRNA and protein expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 and runt-related transcription factor 2 in hBMSCs,which are involved in regulating osteogenic differentiation.Further analysis revealed that naringin,existing in RDNVs,was the active component targeting ERαin the osteogenic effect.Taken together,our study identified that naringin in RDNVs displays exciting bone tissue-targeting activity to reverse osteoporosis by promoting hBMSCs proliferation and osteogenic differentiation through estrogen-like effects.

Lonicerin targets EZH2 to alleviate ulcerative colitis by autophagy-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome inactivation

Aberrant activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in colonic macrophages strongly associates with the occurrence and progression of ulcerative colitis.Although targeting NLRP3 inflammasome has been considered to be a potential therapy,the underlying mechanism through which pathway the intestinal inflammation is modulated remains controversial.By focusing on the flavonoid lonicerin,one of the most abundant constituents existed in a long historical anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious herb Lonicera japonica Thunb.,here we report its therapeutic effect on intestinal inflammation by binding directly to enhancer of zeste homolog 2(EZH2)histone methyltransferase.EZH2-mediated modification of H3 K27 me3 promotes the expression of autophagy-related protein 5,which in turn leads to enhanced autophagy and accelerates autolysosome-mediated NLRP3 degradation.Mutations of EZH2 residues(His 129 and Arg685)indicated by the dynamic simulation study have found to greatly diminish the protective effect of lonicerin.More importantly,in vivo studies verify that lonicerin dose-dependently disrupts the NLRP3-ASC-pro-caspase-1 complex assembly and alleviates colitis,which is compromised by administration of EZH2 overexpression plasmid.Thus,these findings together put forth the stage for further considering lonicerin as an anti-inflammatory epigenetic agent and suggesting EZH2/ATG5/NLRP3 axis may serve as a novel strategy to prevent ulcerative colitis as well as other inflammatory diseases.