Systematic Mapping of Ruminant Milk Extracellular Vesicles using Text Mining and Topic Analysis approach

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Animal Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Ruminant milk-borne extracellular vesicles (EVs) are recognized for intercellular communication and regulating physiological and stress conditions.
• These EVs carry diverse molecular cargo, influencing immune modulation, cellular homeostasis, and metabolism.
• Milk-derived EVs are potential non-invasive biomarkers for physiological and disease states, including heat stress in livestock.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the isolation, function, cargo profiling, biomarker prospects, and applications of ruminant milk-derived EVs.
• To synthesize existing knowledge and identify research trends and thematic areas in the field.
• To highlight challenges and gaps in current research for advancing the application of ruminant milk EVs.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 124 studies published between 1990 and January 2026, sourced from Scopus®.
• Keywords used included "extracellular vesicle," "milk," "heat stress," "cell culture," "buffalo," "cattle," "sheep," and "goat."
• Descriptive statistics, text mining, and topic analysis were employed to analyze the data.

Main Results:

• Research on ruminant milk-derived EVs began in 2012, with a significant increase post-2021, peaking in 2024.
• The majority of publications originated from China and the United States, with frequent co-occurring terms like "exosomes" and "bovine milk."
• Text mining revealed a strong focus on human health and biomedicine, with limited research on livestock aspects like heat stress, and identified challenges in method standardization and validation.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in method standardization, characterization, clinical validation, and regulatory frameworks for ruminant milk EVs.
• Current research predominantly focuses on microRNAs (miRNAs), overlooking other crucial biomolecules.
• Further inter-disciplinary collaboration is essential to address toxicity, safety, and bioavailability, enabling diagnostic and therapeutic applications for advancing the One Health framework and sustainable development goals.