Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) have been shown to enter mammalian cells for disease treatment. Although abundant miRNAs are contained in ginger exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs), little is known about their type and function. Herein, we extracted GELNs with desirable particle sizes (156 ± 36 nm) and a negative surface charge (−26.6 ± 5 mV). The miRNA profiles in ginger and GELNs were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing, and the results of the sequencing were validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). There were 27 miRNAs with higher expression levels in the GELNs, and they were mainly involved in the regulation of inflammatory and cancer-related pathways. Furthermore, GELNs could be specifically internalized by intestine cells via caveolin-mediated endocytosis and micropinocytosis, as well as counteract lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation by downregulating NF-κβ, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α expression. Importantly, the positive effects were further proved to be possibly related to the miRNAs enriched in the GELNs. Overall, these results indicated that PELNs could target human digestive organs and play a cross-kingdom physiological regulation role through miRNAs.

Although the importance of quercetin (QUE) in diets and as food supplements is well-known, the oral utilization of QUE is limited by its instability, poor solubility, and low bioavailability. To overcome these disadvantages, QUE-loaded chitosan derivative-based nanoparticles (QUE-CDNPs) were fabricated, and their ameliorative efficacy against intestinal injury and gut microbiota dysbiosis in chemotherapy-induced mucositis were investigated. The morphology and structural characteristics of the QUE-CDNPs produced showed an average size of about 370.7 nm and a ζ potential of −21.9 mV. It indicated that the QUE encapsulation efficiency in CDNPs reached 71.2%, and the CDNP carrier substantially increased the bioavailability of QUE compared with that of the free QUE in vivo. QUE-CDNP treatment remarkably alleviated the 5-Fu-induced destruction of villus and crypt in the jejunum. In addition, QUE-CDNPs effectively caused an attenuation of the pro-inflammation factors expression and an enhancement of claudin-1 expression in the jejunum, which consequently ameliorated intestinal barrier function. Furthermore, the QUE-CDNP treatment partially reversed the alterations in the intestinal microbiota of mice with 5-Fu-induced mucositis by decreasing the abundance of Bacteroides. These results demonstrate that the use of the QUE-CDNP-delivery system has the potential to improve both the stability and bioavailability and thus the efficacy of quercetin for the treatment of intestinal mucositis.

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Gut microbiota influence neurodevelopment of brain and programing of behaviors. However, the mechanism underlining the relationship between shoals' behaviors and intestinal microbiota remain controversial and the roles of neurotransmitters are still unclear. Here we show that, shoaling behavior affected the innate color preference of shoals, indicating that shoals tended to choose a favorable color environment that benefits social contact. Meanwhile, administration of D1-R antagonist disrupted the social interaction which led to the deficits of color preference. More importantly, the altered microbiota caused by an antibiotic OTC decreased the sociability and weakened shoals' color preference. When given a supplement of LGG after OTC exposure, fish exhibited an unexpectedly recovery capability in social cohesion and color preference. Our findings show that dopamine level of brain could mediate both social recognition and color preference, and highlight the pathway of microbial metabolites through the microbiota-gut-brain axis that coordinate the production of dopamine.