Progress in therapeutic potential of human breast milk-derived exosomes in neonate necrotizing enterocolitis / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the leading causes of neonatal death and no effective therapeutic drugs are currently available. Breastfeeding is a safe and effective preventive measure for NEC. Human breast milk-derived exosomes (HM-exos), which are membranous vesicles in breast milk, play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier and promoting the repair of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) damage through protecting IECs from oxidative stress, improving the proliferation and migration of IECs, maintaining the tight connection between IECs, inhibiting inflammatory response and regulating immune response.