Skin aging is a multi-faceted degenerative process that can lead to various skin disorders, such as infections, dermatitis, and malignant tumors, causing significant physical and mental suffering to patients. Traditional therapies, including topical antioxidants and sunscreen, have limited effectiveness and continue to pose significant safety issues in the treatment of skin aging. Against this backdrop, we were the first to apply extracellular vesicles derived from five-leaf moss (GPEVs) for treatment, demonstrating their unprecedented efficacy in alleviating UVB-induced skin aging. Specifically, GPEVs restored epidermal integrity by inhibiting collagen degradation and DNA damage, while improving skin water supply. In vitro application of GPEVs led to a decrease in SA-β-gal activity, enhanced cell proliferation, and a reduction in senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). From a mechanistic perspective, GPEVs promote the degradation of targeted STING, preventing CTCF-mediated transcriptional activation of aging-related genes. Notably, the therapeutic effect of GPEVs completely disappeared under the stimulation of STING, confirming the specificity of the target. Our research not only established GPEVs as a biocompatible heat-resistant agent for addressing skin aging, but also represents a paradigm shift strategy for utilizing extracellular vesicles derived from plant sources, bridging the key gaps in current anti-aging dermatology. This study was published in the journal Bioactive Materials under the title "Gynostemma pentaphyllum-derived extracellular vesicles alleviate skin aging by destabilizing STING".
References: DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.03.010