Plant derived extracellular vesicles protect neurons from ishemic damage

Introduction Cardiac surgery frequently leads to complications like cerebral injury. One of various manifestations of perioperative cerebral injury is ischemic brain lesions or even ischemic stroke. Recent findings report that as many as 45% of patients who have undergone cardiac surgery have new ischemic brain lesions. (1) Accordingly, it is important to search for substances that can effectively reduce the damage caused by ischemia. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in intracellular communication and due to its permeability, transport various biological cargo through blood-brain barrier. Lately, interest in plant - derived extracellular vesicles increased, as they are more sustainable and scalable alternative than mammalian derived EVs. (2) Plant derived nanovesicles contain bioactive metabolites, proteins with antifungal and antimicrobial activity and microRNAs capable of regulating gene expression in animal cells. (3) Permeability, biological activity and biocompatibility makes plant derived nanovesicles a good tool for medical applications and might be used during and after cardiac surgery to reduce cerebral damage caused by ischemia.