Comparison of nanovesicles derived from Panax notoginseng at different size: physical properties, composition, and bioactivity.

Aim: Plant-derived nanovesicles have emerged as potential agents for combating tumors. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of Panax notoginseng-derived nanovesicles (PnNVs) on the proliferation and migration of squamous cell carcinoma. Additionally, we explored the relationship between plant tuber size and the physical properties, composition and bioactivity of these nanovesicles. Methods: We isolated PnNVs from Panax notoginseng tubers of varying sizes: small-sized (s_PnNVs), medium-sized (m_PnNVs) and large-sized (l_PnNVs), and evaluated for size, potential, and morphology. Cellular uptake efficiency was assessed using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The ability of different PnNVs to inhibit oral squamous cell carcinoma cells was evaluated using plate cloning, CCK8 assay, and scratch healing assay. Off-target metabolomics was used to compare metabolic compounds of different PnNVs. Results: Our findings revealed that s_PnNVs exhibited lower potential but had the highest cellular uptake efficiency, whereas m_PnNVs were characterized by the smallest size and lowest cellular uptake efficiency. Notably, m_PnNVs demonstrated the most effective inhibition of squamous cell carcinoma growth and migration. Compositional analyses showed that PnNVs were rich in proteins and contained lower levels of RNA, with l_PnNVs having the highest protein content. Furthermore, untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed a significant increase in the expression of specific antitumour-related metabolites in m_PnNVs compared to s_PnNVs and l_PnNVs. Conclusion: Overall, our results underscore the influence of plant tuber size on the bioactivity of the nanovesicles from which they are derived, emphasizing its importance for experimental design and study reproducibility.

Exploring new avenues of health protection: plant-derived nanovesicles reshape microbial communities.

Symbiotic microbial communities are crucial for human health, and dysbiosis is associated with various diseases. Plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs) have a lipid bilayer structure and contain lipids, metabolites, proteins, and RNA. They offer unique advantages in regulating microbial community homeostasis and treating diseases related to dysbiosis compared to traditional drugs. On the one hand, lipids on PDNVs serve as the primary substances that mediate specific recognition and uptake by bacteria. On the other hand, due to the multifactorial nature of PDNVs, they have the potential to enhance growth and survival of beneficial bacterial while simultaneously reducing the pathogenicity of harmful bacteria. In addition, PDNVs have the capacity to modulate bacterial metabolism, thus facilitating the establishment of a harmonious microbial equilibrium and promoting stability within the microbiota. These remarkable attributes make PDNVs a promising therapeutic approach for various conditions, including periodontitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and skin infection diseases. However, challenges such as consistency, isolation methods, and storage need to be addressed before clinical application. This review aims to explore the value of PDNVs in regulating microbial community homeostasis and provide recommendations for their use as novel therapeutic agents for health protection.

Plant-derived nanovesicles: harnessing nature's power for tissue protection and repair.

Tissue damage and aging lead to dysfunction, disfigurement, and trauma, posing significant global challenges. Creating a regenerative microenvironment to resist external stimuli and induce stem cell differentiation is essential. Plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs) are naturally bioactive lipid bilayer nanovesicles that contain proteins, lipids, ribonucleic acid, and metabolites. They have shown potential in promoting cell growth, migration, and differentiation into various types of tissues. With immunomodulatory, microbiota regulatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging bioactivities, PDNVs are valuable in resisting external stimuli and facilitating tissue repair. The unique structure of PDNVs provides an optimal platform for drug encapsulation, and surface modifications enhance their stability and specificity. Moreover, by employing synergistic administration strategies, PDNVs can maximize their therapeutic potential. This review summarized the progress and prospects of PDNVs as regenerative tools, provided insights into their selection for repair activities based on existing studies, considered the key challenge for clinical application, and anticipated their continued prominent role in the field of biomedicine.

Engineered Plant-Derived Nanovesicles Facilitate Tumor Therapy: Natural Bioactivity Plus Drug Controlled Release Platform.

Tumors are the second-most common disease in the world, killing people at an alarming rate. As issues with drug resistance, lack of targeting, and severe side effects are revealed, there is a growing demand for precision-targeted drug delivery systems. Plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs), which arecomposed of proteins, lipids, RNA, and metabolites, are widely distributed and readily accessible. The potential for anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and drug-resistant-reversing effects on tumor cells, as well as the ability to alter the tumor microenvironment (TME) by modulating tumor-specific immune cells, make PDNVs promising anti-tumor therapeutics. With a lipid bilayer structure that allows drug loading and a transmembrane capacity readily endocytosed by cells, PDNVs are also expected to become a new drug delivery platform. Exogenous modifications of PDNVs enhance their circulating stability, tumor targeting ability, high cell endocytosis rate, and controlled-release capacity. In this review, we summarize PDNVs' natural antitumor activity, as well as engineered PDNVs as efficient precision-targeted drug delivery tools that enhance therapeutic effects. Additionally, we discuss critical considerations related to the issues raised in this area, which will encourage researchers to improve PDNVs as better anti-tumor therapeutics for clinic applications.

Optical planar and ridge waveguides formed in Er3+-doped germanate glass by ion implantation and precise diamond blade dicing.

In this work, we report on the preparation and characterization of the planar and ridge optical waveguides in the Er3+-doped germanate glass by combining hydrogen ion implantation and precise diamond blade dicing. The nuclear energy loss and the implantation depth were calculated by the SRIM 2013 software. The refractive index profile was obtained by the reflectivity calculation method. The dark-mode spectrum and the near-field intensity distribution were measured by the prism coupling system and end-face coupling technique, respectively. This work has important reference significance for the development of Er3+-doped germanate glass active devices in the optical communication field.