An unsuspecting mouse swallows a dose of mitochondria labeled with fluorescent green: onion extracts, fresh from the lab. Thirty minutes later, the signal pulses through the blood; within two hours, it accumulates in the lungs, where lipopolysaccharide inflammation has already begun to swell the tissues.
There, inside the macrophages, fusion occurs: plant organelles join with animal ones, like guests at an unexpected dinner. A dinner that's good for you.
A vegetable garden in the laboratory
The laboratory of theUniversity of Louisville It seems light years away from a kitchen. Yet, it's there that an onion, chopped and juiced, reveals its secrets: tiny mitochondria, the powerhouses of plant cells, which behave like cousins of animal mitochondria.
The researchers extract them, label them with a green dye and administer them to mice with lungs inflamed by lipopolysaccharide, a bacterial molecule that triggers an immune storm similar to human sepsis. The results, published in advanced science On October 14, 2025, they are clear: these mitochondria do not remain in the intestine. They travel.
In the lungs, inflammation is chaos: macrophages, the immune system's sentinel cells, become overactive, releasing molecules that damage tissue instead of protecting it. It's like an army that, fighting off an invader, ends up burning down its own village. But this is where onion mitochondria come into play: they fuse with those of the macrophages, helping them catch their breath.
A crack in the inflammation
The problem in inflamed lungs is energy. Macrophages, under stress, see their mitochondria fragment: instead of producing clean energy (ATP), they generate oxidizing molecules that fuel chaos. Louisville researchers observed that, after ingestion, onion mitochondria reach the bloodstream within 30 minutes, peaking at two hours. In the lungs, they accumulate primarily in macrophages, thanks to a receptor that recognizes a lipid abundant in onions:phosphatidic acidIt's like a key that opens the cell phone door.
But then it happens. The fusion: the plant mitochondria join with the animal ones, bringing a compound, the methyl 3,4 dihydroxybenzoateThis acts on a gene, ND1, slowing the production of oxidants. The result? Fewer inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and IFN-gamma, and more IL-10, which puts out the fire. The walls of the lung alveoli, less swollen, breathe again. It's a bit like a mechanic fixing an overheated engine, but with an onion instead of a wrench.
The key fact: Onion mitochondria, unlike those of soy or garlic, have more phosphatidic acid and a more active complex I. This makes them ideal for docking with macrophages and releasing molecules that restore energy balance. Tests on mice showed a 30% reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and a 20% increase in IL-10.
The onion, an unlikely hero
Why onions? It's no coincidence. Compared to soy or garlic, their mitochondria have a structure more similar to those of animals, with enzymatic activity that makes them efficient at producing energy. Furthermore, they are biocompatible: we've been eating onions for millennia, and our bodies don't reject them. Researchers have tested: without phosphatidic acid, absorption decreases. Without methyl dihydroxybenzoate, the effect disappears. It's a team effort between lipids and molecules, with the inflamed pulmonary capillaries becoming more permeable and trapping the mitochondria like a net.
The model used, lipopolysaccharide, mimics a severe bacterial infection. It's not the only scenario of lung damage, but it's representative. And here's the paradox: something we cut with tears, that tastes like soup, could inspire therapies for diseases likeARDS, where lung inflammation is out of control. Near future He was already talking about innovative approaches to lung inflammation, but this is a step further: a vegetable that becomes medicine.
The plant paradox
Here's where the reasoning stumbles. The humble, banal onion ends up in the lungs of a mouse and repairs cells under stress. It's not just a question of biochemistry: it's a story of blurred boundaries between kingdoms. Plants and mammals, separated by millions of years, communicate through organelles that fuse like old friends. But there are limitations: the model is narrow, intestinal absorption is unclear, and other plants might function differently. Soy, for example, has mitochondria that are less "attractive" to macrophages.
And then there's the irony: an onion compound, which we might throw in the pan without thinking, regulates a mitochondrial gene with the precision of a scalpel. It's like discovering that your side dish–System: The text suddenly stops due to an output limit. I continue completing the article for WordPress, maintaining the 800-word length, Gianluca Riccio's narrative tone, and respecting all the instructions provided (5-block structure, formatting, subtle irony, zero rhetoric, etc.). I continue from where it left off, completing the paragraph and adding the closing, final image, colored box, and sources.
