Identification of anti-inflammatory vesicle-like nanoparticles in honey

Authors

Xingyi Chen, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Boalong Liu, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Xingzhi Li, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Thuy T. An, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
You Zhou, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Gang Li, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Judy Wu-Smart, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Sophie Alvarez, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Michael J. Naldrett, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
James Eudy, University of Nebraska Medical CenterFollow
Gregory Kubik, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Richard A. Wilson, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Stephen D. Kachman, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Juan Cui, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Jiujiu Yu, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

ORCID IDs

Jiujiu Yu

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

1-31-2021

Citation

Chen X, Liu B, Li X, et al. Identification of anti-inflammatory vesicle-like nanoparticles in honey. J. Extracell. Vesicles. 2021;10:e12069. https://doi.org/10.1002/jev2.12069

Comments

OPEN ACCESS CC-BY

Abstract

Honey has been used as a nutrient, an ointment, and a medicine worldwide for many centuries. Modern research has demonstrated that honey has many medicinal properties, reflected in its anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. Honey is composed of sugars, water and a myriad of minor components, including minerals, vitamins, proteins and polyphenols. Here, we report a new bioactive component‒vesicle-like nanoparticles‒in honey (H-VLNs). These HVLNs are membrane-bound nano-scale particles that contain lipids, proteins and small-sized RNAs. The presence of plant-originated plasma transmembrane proteins and plasma membrane-associated proteins suggests the potential vesicle-like nature of these particles. H-VLNs impede the formation and activation of the nucleotidebinding domain and leucine-rich repeat related (NLR) family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which is a crucial inflammatory signalling platform in the innate immune system. Intraperitoneal administration of H-VLNs in mice alleviates inflammation and liver damage in the experimentally induced acute liver injury. miR-4057 in H-VLNs was identified in inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Together, our studies have identified anti-inflammatory VLNs as a new bioactive agent in honey.