Gutter oil, a major public health concern in East Asia, is often indistinguishable from pure edible oils using conventional physical and chemical methods. In this study, we present a novel approach for detecting gutter oil using microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers. We proved that miRNAs exist in edible oils and can be used to differentiate between pure and recycled oils. A combination of qRT-PCR and machine learning techniques was employed to characterize miRNA profiles across commercial vegetable oils, animal oils, and gutter oil. Specifically, the relative abundances of miR-16 and let-7a were found to be significantly different among these oils, allowing for accurate differentiation via a support vector machine (SVM) model. The results indicate that miRNAs such as miR-16 and let-7a serve as reliable biomarkers, enabling classification of gutter oil even when it complies with national standards. This research provides a feasible and effective method for detecting gutter oil, with potential implications for improving food safety and public health.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known for their ability to differentiate and self-renew, playing a critical role in tissue homeostasis and repair. Despite their therapeutic potential, clinical applications of MSCs face challenges, including safety concerns and uncertain effects on tumors. In contrast, MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-EXOs) have shown comparable or superior efficacy across various diseases, primarily due to their cargo of functional RNAs and proteins. These natural nanovesicles offer a promising drug delivery platform, combining the advantages of both MSCs and exosomes. Genetic engineering approaches, such as surface modification and drug loading, further enhance their therapeutic capabilities. Small RNA drugs present novel opportunities for expanding therapeutic targets, but efficient delivery remains a significant challenge. MSC-EXOs, either natural or engineered, provide a safe and effective solution for delivering small RNA drugs, holding great promise for both research and translational applications. However, large-scale production of MSC-EXOs remains a key hurdle, and ongoing efforts focus on optimizing strategies for producing high-quality MSC-EXOs in sufficient quantities for industrial and clinical use. This review examines the role of MSC-EXOs in small RNA drug delivery, highlighting the associated challenges and potential solutions for scalable production.

Plant-based diets promote greater diversity and even distribution of gut microbiota which is beneficial to intestinal health, yet dietary complexity has hampered the ability to establish how specific components within a diet alter microbiome structure and function. Increasing evidence demonstrates that extracellular vesicles (EVs) act as prominent vehicles for cell-to-cell communication and inter-organismal transmission of RNAs, protein, and/or lipids. Plant-derived EVs have been found to mediate transport of various proteins and miRNAs, but how the makeup and content of EVs differ among crops and if these differences impact bioactivity is unknown. We have characterized EVs from potato and spinach and demonstrated that plant-derived EVs influence microbial growth in vitro. Using combined Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting, high-resolution imaging, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing we have demonstrated that EV-microbe complexes can be isolated from a healthy human-derived microbial community, visualized EV internalization by these microbes, and characterized the microbial genera associated with EVs. Additionally, we have shown that plant-derived EVs can drive specific microbial shifts when incubated with human-derived microbial communities. These results suggest that plant-derived EVs can specifically influence bacterial growth and impact the gut microbiota, potentially enhancing the nutritional benefits of plant-based diets. This research deepens our understanding of plant-derived EVs in gut health and could lead to advancements in plant-based nutritional therapies and drug delivery systems.

Under physiological conditions, the body maintains glucose homeostasis through interorgan communication between metabolic organs. As is well known, this crosstalk is mediated by traditional hormones or metabolites. Recently, a new type of secreted factor called RNAkine has become increasingly prominent in regulating glucose homeostasis. They are secreted non-coding RNAs that are mainly transported from the origin cells to the target cells through extracellular vesicles (EVs), participating in interorgan communication. In this review, we summarized the various organs involved in glucose homeostasis and their inter-organ crosstalk, and emphasized the important role of RNAkines which is of great significance for both the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignancy in men, necessitating accurate diagnosis and monitoring to ensure effective treatment and prevent early relapse. Radiation therapy (RT) is a standard treatment for localized PCa, effectively targeting cancer cells. However, predictive markers are required to optimize efficacy and long-term monitoring to mitigate the risks of tumor regrowth and metastasis. This study investigated the levels of 14 miRNAs in urinary extracellular vesicles, comparing healthy individuals (HI) to PCa patients, as well as the dynamics of these miRNA levels 1 month and 3 months post-RT. A high diagnostic potential was detected in 42 miRNA ratios that showed significant differences between HI and PCa patients. Additionally, 43 miRNA ratios exhibited significant changes before RT and at 1 and 3 months post-RT. Aberrant miRNA expression was observed, suggesting their utility as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. Dynamic changes in miRNA expression following RT highlight their potential in assessing treatment efficacy and predicting disease progression. However, evaluating the prognostic value of RT-influenced miRNAs requires long-term patient follow-up and retrospective data analysis.

Cancer is the most lethal disease in humans. Despite substantial advancements in cancer therapy during the last decades, the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents is limited since many patients develop drug resistance. Drug resistance leads to tumor recurrence and remains a major complication in cancer therapy. Modulated levels of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in various tumors are involved in drug resistance, tumor progression and recurrence. CircRNAs have been detected in different body fluids as well as in exosomes. They shuttle through the blood circulation as cell-free molecules or in exosomes, where they are transported to various cells to propagate malignancy. The current review describes the molecular factors that influence the response to targeted therapies, and summarizes the recent findings on the impact of extracellular circRNAs in drug resistance along with their targeted molecular pathways. Additionally, the potential clinical application of circRNAs as therapeutic agents as well as diagnostic and prognostic markers is also discussed.