Composition analysis of extracellular vesicle-like particles derived from Hedyotis diffusa Willd and their effects on apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma Huh-7 cells.

As significant facilitators of intercellular communication, extracellular vesicles transport various bioactive molecules that contribute to the modulation of the tumor microenvironment. CHM-EVLPs can markedly influence the biological behavior of tumor cells, exhibiting antitumor effects. In this study, EV-like particles derived from Hedyotis diffusa Willd (HDW-EVLPs) were successfully isolated using the 3D FloTrix® vivaEXO exosome harvesting system. The compositional profiles of HDW-EVLPs and their effects on human normal liver cells (WRL68) and human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Huh-7) were investigated. The extracted HDW-EVLPs exhibit the characteristic double-membrane structure typical of exosomes, presenting a "cup-like" morphology, and encompass a variety of biomolecules, including proteins, miRNAs, and secondary metabolites. Furthermore, the findings indicated that HDW-EVLPs can suppress the proliferation of Huh-7 cells and promote their apoptosis, with minimal impact on WRL68 cells. These results offer a scientific foundation for considering HDW-EVLPs as a prospective therapeutic approach for hepatocellular carcinoma, and they establish a basis for their use in cell biology, disease treatment, and the development of novel pharmaceuticals.