Goat milk extracellular vesicles: immuno-modulation effects on porcine monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro

Milk-derived extracellular vesicles and gut health

Milk is a nutrient-rich liquid produced by mammals, offering various health benefits due to its composition of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Beyond traditional nutritional aspects, recent research has focused on extracellular vesicles (EVs) found in milk and their potential health benefits, especially for gastrointestinal (GI) health. Milk-derived EVs have been shown to influence gut microbiota, promote gut barrier integrity, support tissue repair and regeneration, modulate immune responses, and potentially aid in managing conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer. This review discusses the current understanding of milk-EVs' effects on gut health, highlighting their potential therapeutic applications and future research directions. These findings underscore the promising role of milk-derived EVs in advancing GI health and therapeutics, paving the way for innovative approaches in oral drug delivery and targeted treatments for GI disorders.

Genomic Tools for Medicinal Properties of Goat Milk for Cosmetic and Health Benefits: A Narrative Review

Goat milk has gained recognition for its medicinal, cosmetic, and health benefits, particularly its potential to improve human skin conditions. Its therapeutic properties are attributed to bioactive compounds influenced by genes such as lactoferrin (LTF), lysozyme (LYZ), and β-casein (CSN2), known for their antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects. Genetic factors are hypothesized to shape goat milk's composition and its effectiveness in managing dermatological conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Understanding these genetic determinants is critical to optimizing the use of goat milk in skin health applications. This review aims to explore the application of genomic tools to elucidate the medicinal properties of goat milk and its implications for skin care. By identifying the specific genes and molecular mechanisms underpinning its therapeutic effects, genomic studies have provided insights into the bioactive constituents of goat milk, such as peptides, proteins, and lipids, which contribute to its dermatological efficacy. Candidate genes, including growth hormone receptor (GHR), butyrophilin (BTN1A1), and lactoglobulin (LGB), have been identified as critical for enhancing milk quality and functionality. Future research should integrate genomic data with functional studies to further investigate goat milk's immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. Such insights could advance targeted breeding strategies and innovative formulations for managing inflammatory skin conditions and promoting skin health.

Cytokines as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis infection in Mediterranean buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) is the primary agent of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in Mediterranean buffalo, which has a negative economic impact on buffalo herds. Improving TB diagnostic performance in this species represents a key step to eradicate efficiently this disease. We have recently shown the utility of the IFN-γ assay in the diagnosis of M. bovis infection in Mediterranean buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), but other cytokines might be useful immunological biomarkers of this infection. We therefore investigated the utility of key immune cytokines as diagnostic biomarkers of M. bovis infection in this species. Thirty-six Italian Mediterranean buffaloes were used in this study: healthy animals (N = 11), infected (IFN-γ test positive, no post-mortem lesions, no M. bovis detection; N = 14), and affected (IFN-γ test positive, visible post-mortem lesions; N = 11). Heparin blood samples were stimulated with bovine purified protein derivative (PPD-B), alongside controls, and 18-24 h later plasma were collected. Levels of 14 key cytokines were measured: IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-4, IL-10, TNF, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IP-10, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, MCP-1, IL-36Ra, and VEGF-A. We observed that both infected and affected animals released higher levels of IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-10, TNF, IL-1α, IL-6, MIP-1β, in response to PPD-B compared to healthy subjects. Mycobacterium bovis infected animals released also higher levels of IL-1β and IP-10 in response to PPD-B compared to healthy subjects, whereas only tendencies were detected in affected animals. Affected animals only released MIP-1α in response to PPD-B compared to healthy subjects and in this group higher values of PPD-B specific TNF was also observed. Finally, canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) was used to generate predictive cytokine profiles by groups. Our data suggest that IL-10, TNF, IL-1α, IL-6, MIP-1β could be useful biomarkers of TB in Mediterranean Buffalo and can improve the TB diagnostic performance in this specie.

Human milk extracellular vesicles modulate inflammation and cell survival in intestinal and immune cells

Human milk contains extracellular vesicles (EVs) that carry bioactive molecules such as microRNA, to the newborn intestine. The downstream effects of EV cargo on signaling and immune modulation may shield neonates against inflammatory diseases, including necrotizing enterocolitis. Premature infants are especially at risk, while human milk-feeding may offer protection. The effect of gestational-age specific term and preterm EVs from transitional human milk was characterized on human intestinal epithelial cells (HIECs and Caco-2), primary macrophages, and THP-1 monocytes. We hypothesized that term and preterm EVs differentially influence immune-related cytokines and cell death. We found that preterm EVs were enriched in CD14 surface marker, while both term and preterm EVs increased epidermal growth factor secretion. Following inflammatory stimuli, only term EVs inhibited secretion of IL-6 in HIECs, and reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β in macrophages. Term and preterm EVs inhibited secretion of IL-1β and reduced inflammasome related cell death. We proposed that human milk EVs regulate immune-related signaling via their conserved microRNA cargo, which could promote tolerance and a homeostatic immune response. These findings provide basis for further studies into potential therapeutic supplementation with EVs in vulnerable newborn populations by considering functional, gestational age-specific effects. IMPACT: This study reveals distinct functional differences between term and preterm transitional human milk extracellular vesicles (EVs) highlighting the importance of gestational age in their bioactivity. Term EVs uniquely inhibited IL-6 secretion, IL-1β expression, and apoptosis following inflammatory stimuli. Both term and preterm human milk EVs reduced IL-1β secretion and inflammasome-induced cell death. Conserved human milk extracellular vesicle microRNA cargo could be a mediator of the anti-inflammatory effects, particularly targeting cytokine production, the inflammasome, and programmed cell death. These findings underscore the importance of considering gestational age in future research exploring the therapeutic potential of human milk extracellular vesicles to prevent or treat intestinal inflammatory diseases in neonates.

Biocompatibility of Water-Dispersible Pristine Graphene and Graphene Oxide Using a Close-to-Human Animal Model: A Pilot Study on Swine

Graphene-based materials (GBMs) are of considerable interest for biomedical applications, and the pilot study on the toxicological and immunological impact of pristine graphene (GR) and graphene oxide (GO) using swine as a close-to-human provides valuable insights. First, ex vivo experiments are conducted on swine blood cells, then GBMs are injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) into swine. Hematological and biochemical analyses at various intervals indicate that neither GO nor GR cause systemic inflammation, pro-coagulant responses, or renal or hepatic dysfunction. Importantly, no systemic toxicity is observed. Analysis of a panel of 84 immune-related genes shows minimal impact of GO and GR. The animals are sacrificed 21 days post-injection, and transient absorption imaging and Raman mapping show the presence of GO and GR in the mesentery only. Histological evaluation reveals no signs of alterations in other organs. Thus, clusters of both materials are detected in the mesentery, and GO aggregates are surrounded only by macrophages with the formation of granulomas. In contrast, modest local reactions are observed around the GR clusters. Overall, these results reveal that i.p. injection of GBMs resulted in a modest local tissue reaction without systemic toxicity. This study, performed in swine, provides essential guidance for future biomedical applications of graphene.

Milk-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Carrying ssc-let-7c Alleviate Early Intestinal Inflammation and Regulate Macrophage Polarization via Targeting the PTEN-Mediated PI3K/Akt Pathway

Milk-derived extracellular vesicles (mEVs) are beneficial to the health of infants. However, the effect of mEVs on early intestinal inflammation is not well established. Herein, weaned colitic mice were used to explore the potential effects and underlying mechanisms of porcine mEVs (pmEVs) on intestinal inflammation during early life. We found that pmEVs administration attenuated early life intestinal inflammation and promoted colonic barrier integrity in mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of pmEVs was achieved by shifting a proinflammatory macrophage (M1) toward an anti-inflammatory macrophage (M2). Moreover, pmEVs can be absorbed by macrophages and reduce proinflammatory polarization (stimulated by LPS) in vitro. Noteworthily, ssc-let-7c was found to be highly expressed in pmEVs that can regulate the polarization of macrophages by targeting the tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN), thereby activating the PI3K/Akt pathway. Collectively, our findings revealed a crucial role of mEVs in early intestinal immunity and its underlying mechanism.

Harnessing the power of goat milk-derived extracellular vesicles for medical breakthroughs: A review

Research into goat milk-derived extracellular vesicles (GMVs) has grown in popularity in recent years owing to their potential uses in several sectors, including medicine. GMVs are tiny, lipid-bound structures that cells secrete and use to transport bioactive substances like proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. They may be extracted from different body fluids, including blood, urine, and milk, and have been found to play crucial roles in cell-to-cell communication. GMVs are a promising field of study with applications in preventing and treating various disorders. Their immune-modulating properties, for instance, have been investigated, and they have shown promise in treating autoimmune illnesses and cancer. They may be loaded with therapeutic compounds and directed to particular cells or tissues, but they have also been studied for their potential use as drug-delivery vehicles. Goat milk extracellular vesicles are an intriguing study topic with many possible benefits. Although more study is required to thoroughly understand their functioning and prospective applications, they provide a promising path for creating novel medical treatments and technology.