Food-derived vesicles as immunomodulatory drivers: Current knowledge, gaps, and perspectives

• Published in: Food chemistry 2024-11, Vol.457, p.140168, Article 140168
• Main Authors: Rivero-Pino, Fernando, Marquez-Paradas, Elvira, Montserrat-de la Paz, Sergio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Exosomes; Extracellular Vesicles - chemistry; Extracellular Vesicles - immunology; Gut microbiota; Humans; Immunologic Factors - chemistry; Immunologic Factors - pharmacology; Immunonutrition; Inflammation; Microvesicles; Nutraceuticals
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140168

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound membrane vesicles released from cells, containing active compounds, which can be found in different foods. In this review, the role of food-derived vesicles (FDVs) as immunomodulatory drivers is summarized, with a focus on sources, isolation techniques and yields, as well as bioavailability and potential health implications. In addition, gaps and perspectives detected in this research field have been highlighted. FDVs have been efficiently extracted from different sources, and differential ultracentrifugation seems to be the most adequate isolation technique, with yields ranging from 108 to 1014 EV particles/mL. Animal studies show promising results in how these FDVs might regulate different pathways related to inflammation. Further investigation on the production of stable components in a cost-effective way, as well as human studies demonstrating safety and health-promoting properties, since scarce information has been reported until now, in the context of modulating the immune system are needed. •Food-derived vesicles (FDVs) can be efficiently extracted from food•These vesicles have shown to exert physiological changes in animal studies•Several targets might be modulated by the action of FDVs•Human studies are still missing to declare immunomodulation properties of these FDVs•Gaps and challenges of this research field were identified