Ji Yeong Yang

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory oral disease characterized by mucosal barrier destruction and alveolar bone loss. This study characterized germinated mung bean sprouts (Vigna radiata L.) and evaluated the biological activity of the resulting extract in vitro and in vivo. Among six domestic cultivars, ‘Sanpo’ showed the highest total phenolic content (comparable to ‘Jinhwang’) and the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity (74.85%). Across Days 7–17 of germination, Day 10 sprouts contained the highest rutin level while quercetin was still detectable; quercetin was no longer detected at Day 17. In an analytical screen, extraction with 30% ethanol at 50 °C gave the highest recovery of rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol. A room-temperature 30% ethanol extract (MSE) was non-cytotoxic (>90% viability at 100 μg/mL) and significantly reduced IL-6 and IL-8 release in RAW264.7, HaCaT, and YD-38 cells. In a Porphyromonas gingivalis LPS-induced periodontitis rat model (n = 7 per group), LPS significantly increased the periodontal inflammation score, whereas MSE (50 mg/kg/day) produced only non-significant numerical reductions in alveolar bone loss and inflammation relative to the LPS group. These in vivo findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating. Sanpo sprout extract warrants further investigation as a candidate ingredient for oral care and functional food applications.

Despite the potential of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and therapeutic proteins as carriers and cargos for oral delivery, their precise functional integration remains a persistent challenge, thereby limiting synergistic therapeutic outcomes. Here, we present a protein-hybrid, orally delivered EV strategy that integrates naturally bioactive EVs with self-loadable, backbone-cyclized immunoregulatory proteins for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapy. Through computationally guided design and split intein-mediated backbone cyclization, we generated cyclized variants of key immunoregulatory proteins with improved functionality. Among these, C-R₄-tagged cyclization of phosphatase domain of T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (ppTCPTP) improved membrane permeability, thermal stability, and anti-inflammatory activity. This backbone cyclization enabled efficient and high-capacity loading of ppTCPTP into native EVs that are not amenable to genetic engineering. Notably, these protein-hybrid EVs exhibited acidic resistance for oral delivery and synergistically enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in murine IBD organoids and in vivo colitis models, markedly reducing intestinal inflammation and restoring epithelial barrier integrity. Our findings highlight the translational potential of this self-loadable protein-EV platform as a safe and potent oral biologic for IBD therapy.

Helicobacter pylori infects the human stomach and causes various gastrointestinal diseases. Saucerneol D is a type of lignan, which is a polyphenol compound that exists naturally in plants, and it is abundant in flaxseed, sesame seeds, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Saucerneol D is found in Saurus chinensis extract and has been reported to exert a variety of effects, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities. However, its antibacterial effect against H. pylori has not been reported; therefore, we analyzed the effect of saucerneol D on H. pylori in the present study. Changes in the expression of pathogenic factors and gene transcription in H. pylori were observed after treatment with saucerneol D using Western blotting and RT-PCR. It was confirmed that saucerneol D suppressed the growth of H. pylori by decreasing the expression of the genes dnaN and polA, which are required for bacterial replication. Saucerneol D also reduced the secretion of the major pathogenic toxin protein, CagA, by downregulating the expression of type IV secretion system-composing proteins. Furthermore, saucerneol D reduced ammonia production by inhibiting the expression of urease proteins, which are essential for the survival of H. pylori in the acidic gastric environment. Additionally, saucerneol D decreased the expression of flaB, potentially reducing motility. Finally, it was confirmed that the expression of the sabA gene, associated with cell adhesion, was reduced. These results suggest that saucerneol D inhibits the growth of H. pylori and the expression of several pathogenic factors, indicating that saucerneol D has an antimicrobial effect against H. pylori.

Ka Kyung Lee, Hyun Jun Woo, Yean Kyoung Koo, Jongyoul Kim, Ji Yeong Yang, and Sa-Hyun Kim. BSL 2025;31:149-60. https://doi.org/10.15616/BSL.2025.31.2.149

Ji Yeong Yang, Hyun Woo Kim, Hyun Jun Woo, Jongyoul Kim, Min Park, and Sa-Hyun Kim. BSL 2025;31:137-48. https://doi.org/10.15616/BSL.2025.31.2.137

Tae Hyun Yoo, Ji Yeong Yang, Min Park, Jongyoul Kim, Hyun Jun Woo, and Sa-Hyun Kim. BSL 2025;31:161-73. https://doi.org/10.15616/BSL.2025.31.2.161

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from stem cells offer promising potential for cell-free therapy. However, refining their cargo for precise disease targeting and delivery remains challenging. This study employed chemical reprogramming via dual inhibition of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) to expand salivary gland basal progenitor cells (sgBPCs). CD9-enriched (CD9⁺) EVs were then isolated from the sgBPC secretome concentrate using a dual microfluidic chip. Notably, CD9⁺ EVs demonstrated superior uptake by salivary epithelial cells compared to CD9-depleted (CD9⁻) EVs and total EVs. In vivo studies using a salivary gland (SG) obstruction mouse model and ex vivo studies in SG fibrosis organoids revealed that CD9⁺ EVs significantly enhanced anti-fibrotic effects over CD9⁻ EVs and control treatments. The presence of miR-3162 and miR-1290 in CD9⁺ EVs supported their anti-fibrotic properties by downregulating ACVR1 expression. The chemical reprogramming culture method effectively expanded sgBPCs, enabling consistent and scalable EV production. Utilizing microfluidic chip-isolated CD9⁺ EVs and ductal delivery presents a targeted and efficient approach for anti-fibrotic SG regeneration.

O Kyung Kwon, Hyun Jun Woo, Yean Kyoung Koo, Jongyul Kim, Ji Yeong Yang, and Sa-Hyun Kim. BSL 2025;31:19-32. https://doi.org/10.15616/BSL.2025.31.1.19

An all-in-one platform efficiently removed impurities, including pathogenic bacteria, from extracellular vesicles derived from liquorice (LdEVs). The resulting purified LdEVs hold promise for applications in cosmetics and therapeutics.