Salivary exosomes exacerbate colitis by bridging the oral cavity and intestine

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) presents a range of extraintestinal manifestations, notably including oral cavity involvement. The mechanisms underlying oral-gut crosstalk in IBD are not fully understood. Exosomes, found in various body fluids such as saliva, play an unclear role in IBD that requires further exploration. In the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) mouse model, salivary exosomes from patients with active IBD (active IBD-Sexos) exacerbated colitis, while those from IBD patients in remission (remission IBD-Sexos) did not. Possible reasons may include the regulation of macrophage polarization, disruption of intestinal epithelial function, and alteration of the intestinal flora. During co-culture with active IBD-Sexos, THP-1 cells exhibited inflammatory responses, while Caco-2 cells showed reduced tight junction protein expression. Additionally, 35 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in active IBD-Sexos. In brief, our findings substantiate an intriguing phenomenon whereby active IBD-Sexos exacerbate colitis by bridging the oral cavity and intestine.