Tangerine Peel Exosome-like Nanoparticles (TPELNs) Mitigate Intestinal Inflammation via Gut Microbiome Remodeling and Immune Modulation

Plant exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNs) have the potential to modulate inflammatory responses. In this study, tangerine peel exosome-like nanoparticles (TPELNs) were isolated from Yongquan honey tangerine peel by differential centrifugation and PEG precipitation for characterization . In the present study, we used a mouse dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) model of severe intestinal inflammation to investigate its mitigating effect on intestinal inflammation and its modulating effect on intestinal flora and metabolites. The results showed that TPELNs could effectively alleviate the symptoms associated with DSS and reduce the extent of colonic tissue damage. TPELNs can alleviate intestinal inflammation in mice by inhibiting the expression of iNOS, pro-inflammatory cytokines Tnf-α and Il-1β, and promoting the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine Il-10 to regulate the immune response. TPELNs can also increase the proportion of beneficial bacteria in Firmicutes (7.46 ± 0.09%) and decrease the proportion of harmful bacteria. Meanwhile, indole carboxylic acid sulfate and sulfocholic acid metabolites were up-regulated by TPELNs intervention. This study provides a potential approach for the use of TPELNs as functional food ingredients in the relief of intestinal inflammation.