Fig. 2

A schematic model of diet/plant-derived miRNAs journey from nature to human recipient cells. Plant-based foods or herb materials like in the form of decoctions are abundant in miRNAs, which are potentially packaged into vesicles or incorporated with proteins. When ingesting these plant materials, different forms of diet/plant-derived miRNAs could be released and subsequently transferred to the intestinal epithelial cells via different possible mechanisms, 1) by SID-like transporters; 2) vesicle-mediated transcytosis; 3) ribonucleoprotein complexes-mediated endocytosis; 4) through immune cells present in the gut barrier; 5) or diffusion in the space between epithelial cells. Being absorbed by gut lining, miRNAs enters circulation. Once delivered to targeted cells in organs such as liver and engulfed, diet/plant-derived miRNAs are liberated and subsequently execute their functionalities. If unfortunate, these circulating miRNAs may be filtrated and excreted at the kidney prior to their access to recipient cells