Extracellular vesicles (EVs) composed of a lipid bilayer are released from various cell types, including animals, plants, and microorganisms, and serve as important mediators of cell-to-cell communication. EVs can perform a variety of biological functions through the delivery of bioactive molecules, such as nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins, and can also be utilized as carriers for drug delivery. However, the low productivity and high cost of mammalian-derived EVs (MDEVs) are major barriers to their practical clinical application where large-scale production is essential. Recently, there has been growing interest in plant-derived EVs (PDEVs) that can produce large amounts of electricity at a low cost. In particular, PDEVs contain plant-derived bioactive molecules such as antioxidants, which are used as therapeutic agents to treat various diseases. In this review, we discuss the composition and characteristics of PDEVs and the appropriate methods for their isolation. We also discuss the potential use of PDEVs containing various plant-derived antioxidants as replacements for conventional antioxidants.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) play a crucial role in bone formation through their ability to differentiate into osteoblasts. Aging, however, detrimentally affects the differentiation and proliferation capacities of BM-MSCs, consequently impairing bone regeneration. Thus, mitigating the aging effects on BM-MSCs is vital for addressing bone-related pathologies. In this study, we demonstrate that extracellular nanovesicles isolated from gold kiwi (GK-NVs) protect human BM-MSCs from ultraviolet (UV)-induced photoaging, thereby alleviating aging-related impairments in cellular functions that are crucial for bone homeostasis. Notably, GK-NVs were efficiently taken up by BM-MSCs without causing cytotoxicity. GK-NVs reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels upon UV irradiation, restoring impaired proliferation and migration capabilities. Furthermore, GK-NVs corrected the skewed differentiation capacities of UV-irradiated BM-MSCs by enhancing osteoblast differentiation, as evidenced by the increased expression in osteoblast-specific genes and the calcium deposition, and by reducing adipocyte differentiation, as indicated by the decreased lipid droplet formation. These findings position GK-NVs as a promising biomaterial for the treatment of bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis.