Exosomes isolated from citrus lemon: a promising candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of exosome-like nanovesicles from citrus lemon (EXO-CLs) in combating oxidative stress associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Materials & methods: EXO-CLs were isolated through differential ultracentrifugation, characterized for particle size and evaluated for antioxidant activity.
Results: EXO-CLs exhibited a mean size of 93.77 ± 12.31 nm, demonstrated permeability across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and displayed antioxidant activity comparable to ascorbic acid. Additionally, they were found to be non-toxic, with over 80% cell viability observed in SH-SY5Y cells.
Conclusion: The study proposes that EXO-CLs could serve as an effective treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. This suggests a promising approach for targeted interventions in brain-related disorders, owing to the antioxidant properties and BBB permeability exhibited by EXO-CLs.
Plant exosomes contain bioactive compounds that potentially offer health benefits. Similarly, exosomes isolated from citrus lemons have demonstrated various properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.
Numerous compounds derived from plants have been studied for their potential neuroprotective effects and their capacity to impact processes linked to Alzheimer's disease.
The in vitro PAMPA assay illustrated the capability of EXO-CL to permeate the lipid bilayer, indicating its potential to reach the brain for the treatment of neurological disorders.
The in vitro antioxidant study validated the antioxidant capabilities of the formulated EXO-CL.
In cell culture studies, EXO-CL exhibited strong cytocompatibility with neuroblastoma cells and demonstrated the ability to mitigate neurodegeneration induced by β-amyloid in SH-SY5Y cells.
The outcomes from the Alzheimer's disease treatment using EXO-CL have proven satisfactory. Our findings suggest that EXO-CL could function as a neuroprotective agent, supported by its demonstrated ability to penetrate the blood–brain barrier, its antioxidant activity, compatibility with neuroblastoma cells and its capacity to protect against toxicity induced by β-amyloids.
Further, in vivo animal studies are crucial to advancing the development of EXO-CL as a potential neuroprotective agent for neurodegenerative disorders.