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Using a mouse model of colitis, researchers studied the effects of ginger-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) on gut flora. The team found that GELNs are preferentially taken up by Lactobacillus gut bacteria, and boost their abundance (1). The particles contain microRNAs, which stimulate a suite of bacterial genes (2). In particular, they activate a pathway that results in the expression of interleukin-22 in colon mucus (3). This is believed to promote tissue repair and antimicrobial immunity, ultimately improving colitis symptoms in the mice (4).
© Ikumi Kayama, Studio Kayama
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