Study: Grapes help protect against colitis
Scientists isolated the grape's exosome-like nanoparticles or GELNs, which are tiny vesicles that only can be seen under an electron microscope.
A team of researchers including a pair of doctors from the University of Louisville Department of Medicine has shown red table grapes produce substances that enable intestinal stem cells in mice to continue functioning even as colitis is introduced into their intestinal tract.
The study, led by Dr. Huang-ge Zhang of the U of L Department of Microbiology and Immunology, also included Drs. Donald Miller and Jun Yan of the DOM's Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology.
The substances are the first exosome-like nanoparticles identified from an edible plant; until now, exosome nanoparticles have only been seen in mammals.
The research is published online in the Nature Publishing Group’s journal Molecular Therapy.
