Skin Barrier-Improving and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Exosomes Derived from the Fructobacillus fructosus NSH-1 Strain Isolated from the Campsis grandiflora Flower

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory and skin barrier-improving activities of Fructobacillus fructosus strain NSH-1-derived exosomes in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and HaCaT cells.Nanoparticle tracking and transmission electron microscopy analyses confirmed the concentration, purity, and morphology of NSH-1 exosomes.The exosomes showed no cytotoxicity at concentrations of 1.5 × 10 7 , 3.0 × 10 7 , and 6.0 × 10 7 particles/ml, but demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibitory activity against nitric oxide production.Furthermore, NSH-1 exosomes significantly inhibited the production of proinflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE 2 .In HaCaT cells, treatment with NSH-1 exosomes enhanced skin barrier function by increasing the production of hyaluronan and collagen in a concentration-dependent manner and promoting woundhealing activity.Western blot analysis revealed that treatment with NSH-1 exosomes reduced the expression levels of inflammatory proteins iNOS and COX-2, while increasing the expression of skin barrier-related proteins such as filaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin.Overall, these findings indicate that NSH-1 exosomes exert strong anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines iNOS and COX-2, while simultaneously enhancing skin barrier integrity by upregulating filaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin.Thus, exosomes derived from F. fructosus NSH-1, isolated from Campsis grandiflora flowers, demonstrate promise as natural bioactive agents for antiinflammatory and skin barrier-improving applications.