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Azizi F, Kazemipour-Khabbazi S, Raimondo S, Dalirfardouei R. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic application of extracellular vesicles from plants. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:425. [PMID: 38492036 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09379-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) isolated from animal sources are among the most investigated types of cell-free therapeutic tools to cure different diseases. sEVs have been isolated from a variety of sources, ranging from prokaryotes to animals and plants. Human-derived sEVs have many uses in pre- and clinical studies in medicine and drug delivery, while plant-derived EVs, also known as plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs), have not been widely investigated until the second decade of the 21st century. For the past five years, there has been a rapid rise in the use of plant EVs as a therapeutic tool due to the ease of massive production with high efficacy and yield of preparation. Plant EVs contain various active biomolecules such as proteins, regulatory RNAs, and secondary metabolites and play a key role in inter-kingdom communications. Many studies have already investigated the potential application of plant EVs in preventing and treating cancer, inflammation, infectious diseases, and tissue regeneration with no sign of toxicity and are therefore considered safe. However, due to a lack of universal markers, the properties of plant EVs have not been extensively studied. Concerns regarding the safety and therapeutic function of plant EVs derived from genetically modified plants have been raised. In this paper, we review the physiological role of EVs in plants. Moreover, we focus on molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the therapeutic effects of plant EVs on various human diseases. We also provide detailed information on the methodological aspects of plant EV isolation and analysis, which could pave the way for future clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Azizi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Science and Novel Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Salva Kazemipour-Khabbazi
- Department of English Language and Persian Literature, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Stefania Raimondo
- Department of BioMedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (Bi.N.D), Biology and Genetic section, University of Palermo, Palermo, 90133, Italy
| | - Razieh Dalirfardouei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Science and Novel Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
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Wei Y, Cai X, Wu Q, Liao H, Liang S, Fu H, Xiang Q, Zhang S. Extraction, Isolation, and Component Analysis of Turmeric-Derived Exosome-like Nanoparticles. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1199. [PMID: 37892929 PMCID: PMC10604281 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10101199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As one kind of plant-derived extracellular vesicle, turmeric-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (TELNs) are composed of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and small-molecule compounds, which possess good biocompatibility and safety. They are especially rich in information from the "mother plant", which provides more applications in biological fields. In this study, we isolated and purified TELNs using differential centrifugation and ultracentrifugation and systematically detected their physicochemical properties using multi-omics. The TELNs possessed a typical teacup-like exosome morphology, and the extraction rate was approximately 1.71 ± 0.176 mg/g. The average particle size was 183.2 ± 10.9 nm, and the average zeta potential was -17.6 ± 1.19 mV. They were rich in lipids, mainly phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (17.4%), triglyceride (TG) (12.3%), phosphatidylinositol (PI) (9.82%), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) (7.93%). All of them are the key lipids in the exosomes. The protein content was approximately 12% (M/M), mainly curcumin synthase and other proteins involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. In addition, there are critical essential genes for curcumin biosynthesis, such as curcumin synthase (CURS) and diketocoenzyme A synthase (DCS). More importantly, a greater variety of small-molecule compounds, primarily curcumin and curcumin analogs such as demethoxycurcumin and volatile oleoresins such as curcuminoids, have now been revealed. In conclusion, TELNs were successfully isolated, containing 0.17% (M/M) turmeric and a large amount of chemical information, the same as the parent-of-origin plant. This is the first time combining multi-omics to analyze the characteristics and nature of the TELNs, which laid a solid material foundation for the further development of turmeric.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems, Center for Drug Research and Development of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.W.); (H.F.)
- Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510632, China; (X.C.); (Q.W.); (H.L.); (S.L.)
| | - Xiang Cai
- Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510632, China; (X.C.); (Q.W.); (H.L.); (S.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Qiqi Wu
- Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510632, China; (X.C.); (Q.W.); (H.L.); (S.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hui Liao
- Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510632, China; (X.C.); (Q.W.); (H.L.); (S.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Shuang Liang
- Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510632, China; (X.C.); (Q.W.); (H.L.); (S.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hongwei Fu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems, Center for Drug Research and Development of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.W.); (H.F.)
- Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510632, China; (X.C.); (Q.W.); (H.L.); (S.L.)
| | - Qi Xiang
- Biopharmaceutical R&D Center of Jinan University Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510632, China; (X.C.); (Q.W.); (H.L.); (S.L.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems, Center for Drug Research and Development of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.W.); (H.F.)
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Ionescu RF, Enache RM, Cretoiu SM, Cretoiu D. The Interplay Between Gut Microbiota and miRNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:856901. [PMID: 35369298 PMCID: PMC8965857 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.856901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The human microbiota contains microorganisms found on the skin, mucosal surfaces and in other tissues. The major component, the gut microbiota, can be influenced by diet, genetics, and environmental factors. Any change in its composition results in pathophysiological changes that can further influence the evolution of different conditions, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The microbiome is a complex ecosystem and can be considered the metagenome of the microbiota. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are speculated to interact with the intestinal microbiota for modulating gene expressions of the host. miRNAs represent a category of small non-coding RNAs, consisting of approximately 22 nucleotides, which can regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional level, by influencing the degradation of mRNA and modifying protein amounts. miRNAs display a multitude of roles, being able to influence the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases. Circulating miRNAs are stable against degradation, due to their enclosure into extracellular vesicles (EVs). This review aims to assess the current knowledge of the possible interactions between gut microbiota, miRNAs, and CVDs. As more scientific research is conducted, it can be speculated that personalized patient care in the future may include the management of gut microbiota composition and the targeted treatment against certain expression of miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Mihai Enache
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Sanda Maria Cretoiu
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Cell and Molecular Biology and Histology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- *Correspondence: Sanda Maria Cretoiu ;
| | - Dragos Cretoiu
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Cell and Molecular Biology and Histology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Fetal Medicine Excellence Research Center, Alessandrescu-Rusescu National Institute for Mother and Child Health, Bucharest, Romania
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Zhao Y, Li X, Zhang W, Yu L, Wang Y, Deng Z, Liu M, Mo S, Wang R, Zhao J, Liu S, Hao Y, Wang X, Ji T, Zhang L, Wang C. Trends in the biological functions and medical applications of extracellular vesicles and analogues. Acta Pharm Sin B 2021; 11:2114-2135. [PMID: 34522580 PMCID: PMC8424226 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in many life processes such as in the intermolecular transfer of substances and genetic information exchanges. Investigating the origins and working mechanisms of natural EVs may provide an understanding of life activities, especially regarding the occurrence and development of diseases. Additionally, due to their vesicular structure, EVs (in small molecules, nucleic acids, proteins, etc.) could act as efficient drug-delivery carriers. Herein, we describe the sources and biological functions of various EVs, summarize the roles of EVs in disease diagnosis and treatment, and review the application of EVs as drug-delivery carriers. We also assess the challenges and perspectives of EVs in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing 100005, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Xiaolu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Lanlan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Zhun Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Mingwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Shanshan Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Ruonan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Jinming Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Shuli Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University Civil Aviation School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100123, China
| | - Yun Hao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Xiangdong Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Tianjiao Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 10 69156463.
| | - Luo Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing 100005, China
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 10 69156463.
| | - Chenxuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 10 69156463.
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Zhou J, Liu J, Gao Y, Shen L, Li S, Chen S. miRNA-Based Potential Biomarkers and New Molecular Insights in Ulcerative Colitis. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:707776. [PMID: 34305614 PMCID: PMC8298863 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.707776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory bowel disease, which usually manifests as abdominal pain, diarrhea and hematochezia. The disease often recurs and is difficult to cure. At present, the pathogenesis is not clear, but it is believed that the disease is caused by a complex interaction among immunity, heredity, environment and intestinal microflora disorders. MicroRNA (miRNA) is endogenous single-stranded non-coding RNA of 17–25 nucleotides (nts). They target the 3'Untranslated Region of a target gene and inhibit or degrade the target gene according to the extent of complementary bases. As important gene expression regulators, miRNAs are involved in regulating the expression of most human genes, and play an important role in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases including UC. Studies in recent years have illustrated that abnormal expression of miRNA occurs very early in disease pathogenesis. Moreover, this abnormal expression is highly related to disease activity of UC and colitis-associated cancer, and involves virtually all key UC-related mechanisms, such as immunity and intestinal microbiota dysregulation. Recently, it was discovered that miRNA is highly stable outside the cell in the form of microvesicles, exosomes or apoptotic vesicles, which raises the possibility that miRNA may serve as a novel diagnostic marker for UC. In this review, we summarize the biosynthetic pathway and the function of miRNA, and summarize the usefulness of miRNA for diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis of UC. Then, we described four types of miRNAs involved in regulating the mechanisms of UC occurrence and development: 1) miRNAs are involved in regulating immune cells; 2) affect the intestinal epithelial cells barrier; 3) regulate the homeostasis between gut microbiota and the host; and 4) participate in the formation of tumor in UC. Altogether, we aim to emphasize the close relationship between miRNA and UC as well as to propose that the field has value for developing potential biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets for UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jialing Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yangyang Gao
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Liwei Shen
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Sheng Li
- Center for Health Policy & Drug Affairs Operation Management, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Simin Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Sikorska M, Siwek M, Slawinska A, Dunislawska A. miRNA Profiling in the Chicken Liver under the Influence of Early Microbiota Stimulation with Probiotic, Prebiotic, and Synbiotic. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:685. [PMID: 34062867 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is a form of interaction of the external environment on reading and transcription of genetic information encoded in nucleic acids. We provided evidence that early stimulation of the chicken microbiota with in ovo delivered synbiotics influenced gene expression and DNA methylation in the liver. Therefore, we hypothesize that the stimulation of microbiota by administering bioactive substances in ovo also affects the activity of miRNA in liver. For the analysis of miRNA activity, RNA was isolated from liver of adult broiler chicken and native chicken breed. The animals received a prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic in ovo on day 12 of egg incubation. The analysis of miRNA expression was performed using the LNA method on a miRNA panel selected on the basis of previous microarray experiments. We have found increased miRNA expression activity after probiotic and synbiotic administration, especially in native chicken breed. Our results suggest that prebiotics reduce or do not affect miRNA activity. We have also shown that miRNA activity is regulated by the substance and genotype of the chicken. We can conclude that miRNAs constitute an important component of the molecular mechanism of host–probiotic interaction in liver.
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Zhao Y, Zeng Y, Zeng D, Wang H, Zhou M, Sun N, Xin J, Khalique A, Rajput DS, Pan K, Shu G, Jing B, Ni X. Probiotics and MicroRNA: Their Roles in the Host-Microbe Interactions. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:604462. [PMID: 33603718 PMCID: PMC7885260 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.604462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Probiotics are widely accepted to be beneficial for the maintenance of the gut homeostasis - the dynamic and healthy interactions between host and gut microorganisms. In addition, emerging as a key molecule of inter-domain communication, microRNAs (miRNAs) can also mediate the host-microbe interactions. However, a comprehensive description and summary of the association between miRNAs and probiotics have not been reported yet. In this review, we have discussed the roles of probiotics and miRNAs in host-microbe interactions and proposed the association of probiotics with altered miRNAs in various intestinal diseases and potential molecular mechanisms underlying the action of probiotics. Furthermore, we provided a perspective of probiotics-miRNA-host/gut microbiota axis applied in search of disease management highly associated with the gut microbiome, which will potentially prove to be beneficial for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhao
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Zeng
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dong Zeng
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hesong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Gastroenterology of Guangdong Province, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengjia Zhou
- Sichuan Academy of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Ning Sun
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinge Xin
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Abdul Khalique
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Danish Sharafat Rajput
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kangcheng Pan
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gang Shu
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Jing
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xueqin Ni
- Animal Microecology Institute, College of Veterinary, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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Combarnous Y, Nguyen TMD. Cell Communications among Microorganisms, Plants, and Animals: Origin, Evolution, and Interplays. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8052. [PMID: 33126770 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular communications play pivotal roles in multi-cellular species, but they do so also in uni-cellular species. Moreover, cells communicate with each other not only within the same individual, but also with cells in other individuals belonging to the same or other species. These communications occur between two unicellular species, two multicellular species, or between unicellular and multicellular species. The molecular mechanisms involved exhibit diversity and specificity, but they share common basic features, which allow common pathways of communication between different species, often phylogenetically very distant. These interactions are possible by the high degree of conservation of the basic molecular mechanisms of interaction of many ligand-receptor pairs in evolutionary remote species. These inter-species cellular communications played crucial roles during Evolution and must have been positively selected, particularly when collectively beneficial in hostile environments. It is likely that communications between cells did not arise after their emergence, but were part of the very nature of the first cells. Synchronization of populations of non-living protocells through chemical communications may have been a mandatory step towards their emergence as populations of living cells and explain the large commonality of cell communication mechanisms among microorganisms, plants, and animals.
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Abstract
Small RNAs (sRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), are noncoding RNA (ncRNA) molecules involved in gene regulation. sRNAs play important roles in development; however, their significance in nutritional control and as metabolic modulators is still emerging. The mechanisms by which diet impacts metabolic genes through miRNAs remain an important area of inquiry. Recent work has established how miRNAs are transported in body fluids often within exosomes, which are small cell-derived vesicles that function in intercellular communication. The abundance of other recently identified ncRNAs and new insights regarding ncRNAs as dietary bioactive compounds could remodel our understanding about how foods impact gene expression. Although controversial, some groups have shown that dietary RNAs from plants and animals (i.e., milk) are functional in consumers. In the future, regulating sRNAs either directly through dietary delivery or indirectly by altered expression of endogenous sRNA may be part of nutritional interventions for regulating metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M McNeill
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
| | - Kendal D Hirschi
- Departments of Pediatrics and Human and Molecular Genetics, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA;
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