Food-derived nanovesicles as immunomodulators in cancer therapy

Food-derived nanovesicles (FDNVs) have gained increasing attention as safe and natural nano-carriers with strong potential for cancer immunotherapy. These vesicles are obtained from edible plants and animal-based foods and show high biocompatibility, low toxicity, and the ability to deliver bioactive compounds such as lipids, proteins, metabolites, and microRNAs involved in immune regulation. Recent studies have shown that FDNVs can regulate important immune responses, including macrophage polarization, dendritic cell maturation, T-cell activation, and the reduction of tumor-related immunosuppression. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the immunomodulatory effects of FDNVs in cancer therapy and examines global research trends through a structured bibliometric analysis. Research output in this field has increased steadily since 2018, highlighting the growing interest in their therapeutic applications. Despite these advances, several challenges remain, including vesicle heterogeneity, the lack of standardized isolation methods, limited understanding of in vivo bioavailability, and difficulties in achieving large-scale and clinically approved production. In addition, recent findings indicate that the uptake pathways and therapeutic effects of FDNVs may vary depending on their composition and the target tissue environment, emphasizing the need for further mechanistic studies. Overall, FDNVs show considerable promise as natural immunomodulatory agents; however, their successful application in next-generation cancer immunotherapy will require continued scientific research and translational development.