Portulaca oleracea L.-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles reprogram intestinal ILCs to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated colorectal cancer
- 1State Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
- 2Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medicinal Substance and Utilization of Fresh Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its progression to colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) pose significant clinical challenges due to their complex pathogenesis and limited therapeutic options. Plant-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles (PEVLPs) have emerged as promising candidates for targeted therapy, owing to their biocompatibility and intrinsic bioactivity. Here, we isolated and characterized Portulaca oleracea L.-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles (PO-EVLPs) and demonstrated their preferential accumulation in the colon of mouse models through systematic biodistribution studies. Mechanistically, PO-EVLPs exert therapeutic effects via the delivery of miRNAs. Specifically, the enriched miR159-y suppresses TGF-β receptor expression, thereby promoting the expansion of group three innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) in colitic tissues. Furthermore, during the transition from chronic inflammation to carcinogenesis, miR159-y-mediated inhibition of TGF-β receptors prevents TGF-β-driven differentiation of NK cells into ILC1s and the conversion of ILC3s into regulatory innate lymphoid cells (ILCregs), thereby impeding CAC progression. In vivo studies also indicated a favorable safety profile. These findings establish PEVLPs as a multifunctional therapeutic platform that simultaneously targets inflammatory pathways and neoplastic transformation, offering a novel strategy for managing IBD and CAC by precisely modulating mucosal immunity.
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BibTeX
@article{zhong2026portulaca,
title = {{Portulaca oleracea L.-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles reprogram intestinal ILCs to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated colorectal cancer}},
author = {Hao Zhong and Zhuoya Liu and Zixuan Zhao and Shujia Yao and Deyang Ning and Hongzhi Qiao and Haiyang Yu},
journal = {Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1016/j.apsb.2026.07.044},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13730234},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Portulaca oleracea L.-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles reprogram intestinal ILCs to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated colorectal cancer
AU - Hao Zhong
AU - Zhuoya Liu
AU - Zixuan Zhao
AU - Shujia Yao
AU - Deyang Ning
AU - Hongzhi Qiao
AU - Haiyang Yu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/31
JO - Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
DO - 10.1016/j.apsb.2026.07.044
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13730234
AB - Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its progression to colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) pose significant clinical challenges due to their complex pathogenesis and limited therapeutic options. Plant-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles (PEVLPs) have emerged as promising candidates for targeted therapy, owing to their biocompatibility and intrinsic bioactivity. Here, we isolated and characterized Portulaca oleracea L.-derived extracellular vesicle-like particles (PO-EVLPs) and demonstrated their preferential accumulation in the colon of mouse models through systematic biodistribution studies. Mechanistically, PO-EVLPs exert therapeutic effects via the delivery of miRNAs. Specifically, the enriched miR159-y suppresses TGF-β receptor expression, thereby promoting the expansion of group three innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) in colitic tissues. Furthermore, during the transition from chronic inflammation to carcinogenesis, miR159-y-mediated inhibition of TGF-β receptors prevents TGF-β-driven differentiation of NK cells into ILC1s and the conversion of ILC3s into regulatory innate lymphoid cells (ILCregs), thereby impeding CAC progression. In vivo studies also indicated a favorable safety profile. These findings establish PEVLPs as a multifunctional therapeutic platform that simultaneously targets inflammatory pathways and neoplastic transformation, offering a novel strategy for managing IBD and CAC by precisely modulating mucosal immunity.
SN - 2211-3835
SN - 2211-3843
ER -