Food bioactives and extracellular vesicles: a narrative review

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are now recognized as key mediators of intercellular communication, transferring cargos such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids between cells and thereby influencing physiological and pathological processes. While the role of EVs has been extensively investigated in physiological and pathophysiological contexts, nutrition has only recently been recognized as an important modulator of endogenous EV biology. Emerging evidence indicates that nutrition and food bioactive compounds can influence EV biology through three distinct mechanisms: (i) modulation of the biogenesis, release, cargo composition and biological activity of endogenous host-derived EVs; (ii) use of EVs as vehicles for the systemic transport of food bioactives and their metabolites; and (iii) delivery of exogenous, diet-derived vesicles such as plant- and bacteria-derived EVs. This review synthesizes the current evidence on the interactions between major classes of dietary bioactives including polyphenols, fatty acids, vitamins, and carotenoids and EV biology.