Perspectives of bovine and human milk exosomics as health biomarkers for advancing systemic therapeutic potential

ABSTRACT The epithelial cells of the mammary gland secrete extracellular nanovesicles known as exosomes that carry and protect microRNAs and other various signaling biomolecules. Milk exosomes are stable during processing and remain protected from digestion in the gastrointestinal tract in order to reach specific target cells including peripheral tissues by crossing biological barriers. Milk exosomal microRNAs have their role as growth-promoting factor, in immunological programming, improving allergy tolerance and epigenetic controller of other mRNAs. However, in contrast, many translational evidence indicated that excessive consumption of bovine milk and continuous exposure of these exosomal microRNAs may be responsible for chronic inflammatory diseases of contemporary societies. Milk exosomes have potential preventive impact on necrotizing enterocolitis, ulcerative colitis, and inflammatory bowel diseases and may be targeted as preventive medicine or in therapeutic diets and also have potential as a nano-vehicle for drug delivery for chemotherapy.