PL3 - Plenary lecture 3

Extracellular Vesicles from Plants: Nature's Toolkit for Next Generation Nanomedicine

Ambrosone, Alfredo

Università degli Studi di Salerno, Salerno, Italia
Contacto: aambrosone@unisa.it

Plant extracellular vesicles (PEVs) are emerging as sustainable and efficient carriers for therapeutic delivery, offering a non-mammalian alternative in the field of nanomedicine. While traditionally studied for their roles in plant physiology, such as defense signalling, cell wall remodelling, and cross-kingdom interactions, PEVs have recently attracted attention for their ability to transfer functional biomolecules into human cells. This unique capability opens up new possibilities for developing plant-based systems for drug and gene delivery. Moreover, advances in molecular engineering are expected to enhance the targeting precision of PEVs and improve their ability to carry therapeutic nucleic acids, further expanding their value in personalized medicine. Despite these promising features, the clinical translation of PEVs faces critical challenges. The biomolecular content of these vesicles can vary significantly depending on plant species, genotype, and environmental factors, including soil conditions, fertilization, and agronomic practices. Such variability complicates the standardization of PEV production and downstream applications. To address these limitations, our research has focused on establishing robust platforms for isolating and characterizing PEVs using in vitro plant systems. Specifically, we employ plant cell cultures and hairy root (HR) cultures from both medicinal plants and crops to produce vesicles under controlled, reproducible conditions. Through comprehensive biophysical and multiomic analyses, we have identified HR-derived PEVs as particularly rich in bioactive compounds with notable health-promoting properties. For example, PEVs from Salvia dominica have shown the ability to induce apoptosis in pancreatic and breast cancer cells, demonstrating anticancer potential. Additionally, these vesicles exhibit neuroprotective effects in experimental models of Parkinson’s disease.

Our ongoing efforts aim to optimize the therapeutic functions of PEVs through targeted bioengineering. Overall, these findings lay the groundwork for the development of eco-friendly, plant-based delivery systems in nanomedicine, bridging plant biotechnology and human health.