Effect of Scomberomorus niphonius peptide on the characteristics of resveratrol

Resveratrol has a variety of physiological activities, but its bioavailability in the body is low. In this study, the interaction between the peptide SH, prepared from Scomberomorus niphonius, and resveratrol was judged by fluorescence spectroscopy. Then, SHa1 was obtained by the purification of SH, and its effect on the characteristics of resveratrol was studied. SHa1 interacted with resveratrol at 37 °C for 30 min to obtain the complex SHa1-R, which then showed an obviously stronger inhibition on B16 cells than resveratrol using the MTT assay after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The solubility and digestive stability of SHa1-R were higher than that of free resveratrol. The intestinal absorption rate of SHa1-R was also increased compared with resveratrol according to the non-inverted rat intestinal sac model. The structure of SHa1 was analyzed by UPLC, auto amino acid analysis, and UPLC-MS/MS. The molecular weight of SHa1 was mainly concentrated under 1000 Da, and it was rich in glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine, and leucine. Eighteen possible peptides were identified from SHa1. The results suggested that the peptide SHa-1 may help to increase the bioavailability of resveratrol by increasing the solubility, digestive stability and intestinal absorption of resveratrol, thereby promoting its inhibitory effect on B16 cells.

A sensitive and economical method for simultaneous determination of D/L- amino acids profile in foods by HPLC-UV: Application in fermented and unfermented foods discrimination

This work described a sensitive and economical HPLC-UV method with FDAA derivatization to simultaneously detect 36 D/l-amino acids, which provides higher sensitivity and lower cost than other HPLC-based methods. It was validated for linearity range (8-1000 µmol/L), limits of detection (2.68-62.44 pmol/L), limits of quantification (2.93 to 208.13 pmol/L), intraday precision (0.30 % - 5.31 %), interday precision (1.96 % - 8.04 %) and accuracy (86.53 % - 121.46 %). This method was then applied in the determination of D/L- amino acids abundance in fermented and unfermented food materials and showed the characteristics of each type of foods. The method also demonstrated good performance in another application case for the discrimination of different types of food materials based on D/L- amino acids profile. It emphasizes the ability of the method to study the characteristics, distribution and abundance of d-amino acids in foods and their potential application in food quality control.

Bioactivity-Oriented Purification of Polyphenols from Cinnamomum cassia Presl. with Anti-Proliferation Effects on Colorectal Cancer Cells

Cinnamomum cassia Presl. (CCP) is a popular natural spice possessing various pharmacological properties. We obtained polyphenol-rich fraction (CCP-P) from CCP by bioactivity-oriented purification method and evaluated its Wnt signaling inhibition activity. Firstly, the phenolic components were identified as the main bioactive compounds with anti-colorectal cancer activity. Then, we compared the anti-colorectal cancer activity of CCP extract obtained from different solvent by cell morphology alteration and EdU assay. Ethanol extract showed higher antiproliferative activity compared to water extract on HCT116 cells, with proliferating cells reducing to 41.12 and 21.83% at 156.00 μg GAE/mL, respectively. Next, separation and enrichment of polyphenols from ethanol extract was performed on AB-8 macroporous resins under optimal conditions. Further evaluation of the CCP-P bioactivity revealed that it exerted more potent antiproliferative activity on RKO and HCT116 cells, showing higher selectivity for Wnt-dependent colorectal cancer cells (CRCs). Ten major polyphenols were identified in the CCP-P by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. In summary, this study presents evidence that CCP-derived polyphenols are promising potential candidates as functional food ingredients against CRC.

Structural characterization of functional peptides by extending the hybrid orbital theory

In recent years, food‐derived functional peptides have received more and more attention because of their low toxicity, which is different from drugs. This study was based on the theory that hybrid orbitals play an important role in chemical reactions. While preserving the original physical information, a descriptor called hybrid orbitals and atomic characteristics was designed to explore the relationship between hybrid orbitals, electronegative atoms, and the function of food‐derived peptides. The classification effects of support vector machines and K‐nearest neighbor are compared and selected by machine learning KNN algorithm to predict the function of food‐derived functional peptides, including inhibitors of angiotensin‐converting enzyme and dipeptidyl peptidase IV, antioxidant peptides, and antibacterial peptides, the accuracy of prediction and the area under curve value were about 0.8. Comparing the result of using hybrid orbital and electronegative atoms to predict the function of peptides, respectively, it was found that the hybrid orbital is more closely related to the function of the peptide. This study revealed that the application of hybrid orbital theory to the research of food‐derived peptides is of positive significance.

The effect of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on the antioxidant activity of wheat gluten pancreatin hydrolysates

The antioxidant activities of the fermented wheat gluten hydrolysates with different fermentation times were investigated to elucidate the impact of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation on the wheat gluten hydrolysates. Prior to LAB fermentation, wheat gluten was deamidated by hydrochloric acid and then hydrolysed by pancreatin to 12 and 24 h, respectively. Results showed that LAB fermentation had significant impacts on the enzymatic efficiency and antioxidant activities of wheat gluten. The degree of hydrolysis and protein recovery of hydrolysates gradually increased and then reached maximum values, respectively, when fermenting with LAB for 36 h. The hydrolysis degree and protein recovery of fermented pancreatin 24‐h hydrolysates were larger than that of the fermented pancreatin 12‐h hydrolysates during the whole fermentation. The antioxidant activity analysis revealed a marked increase and improvement in the scavenging activities of 1,1‐Diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl·radicals, hydroxyl radicals and oxygen radical absorbance capacity, while the scavenging activities of ABTS+ radical decreased as the fermentation time extended. The antioxidant activities of pancreatin 24‐h hydrolysates were higher than that of the pancreatin 12‐h hydrolysates during the whole LAB fermentation.

Identification of the Wound Healing Activity Peptidome of Edible Bird's Nest Protein Hydrolysate and the In Silico Evaluation of Its Transport and Absorption Potential in Skin

In this study, edible bird's nest (EBN) was proven to be a suitable source of bioactive peptides via enzymatic hydrolysis. The ultrafiltration component of the EBN peptides (EBNPs, Mw < 3 000 Da) could be responsible for moderate moisture retention and filaggrin synthesis. It was found that EBNP had a great capacity to protect HaCaT keratinocytes from DNA damage caused by UVB-irradiation and enhance wound healing by increasing the migratory and proliferative potential of cells. Furthermore, the external application of EBNP could effectively repair high glycolic acid concentration-induced skin burns in mice. A total of 1 188 peptides, predominantly the hydrophobic amino acids (e.g., Leu, Val, Tyr, Phe), were identified in the EBNP by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Molecular docking showed that hydrophobic tripeptides from EBNP had a good binding affinity to proton-dependent oligopeptide transporter PepT1. Our data indicated that the hydrophobic amino acid-rich EBNP plays an important role in skin wound healing.

Identification of Microbiota within Aβ Plaque in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mouse

Microbes like viruses, bacteria, and fungi have all been reported in the brain of Alzheimer's postmortem patients and/or AD mouse model; however, the relationship between brain microbes and Aβ plaque deposition remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we first analyzed bacteria populations in the brain of 4-, 5-, and 6-month-old APP/PS1 mice and then examined the Aβ-positive loads of APP/PS1 mouse at 9 months old to identify bacteria in the brain by 16S rDNA sequencing. Finally, blood-brain barrier permeability was measured by injecting dextrans through the tail vein. Surprisingly, the diversity of microbial community gradually decreased in APP/PS1 mouse while wild-type mouse showed no obvious regularity. Moreover, Aβ-positive deposits in the brain showed a significantly higher relative abundance of microbiota than Aβ-negative tissues and age-matched wild-type mouse brain tissues. In addition, an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability was also observed in APP/PS1 mouse. The present study revealed the exact location of microbes within the Aβ plaques in the brain and suggested the potential antimicrobial effect of the Aβ peptide. We strongly recommend that future research on microbiota-related AD pathology should focus on the migration route of microbiota into the brain and how the microbiota enhance AD progression.

Soypeptide supplementation attenuates weight loss and improves quality of life among brain cancer patients in a pilot study

Inability to meet nutrition needs resulting from multiple diseases‐related, and individual factors contribute significantly to malnutrition and poor disease outcome among cancer patients. Strategies capable of delivering metabolically efficient nutrients with less digestive and metabolic stress without adding bulk to the diet of patients may be suitable for dealing with cancer‐related malnutrition and quality of life (QoL). We sought to test the hypothesis that peptide supplementation could attenuate weight loss and improve QoL among brain cancer patients compared to conventionally treated controls. In a non‐blind pilot study, brain cancer patients received 9 g soybean peptide supplementation twice per day (peptide group, n = 9) and compared with conventional treatment (control group, n = 10) over two chemotherapy cycles of 42 days. Compared to the controls, soypeptide supplementation attenuated weight loss with 5.4% increase in weight. Moreover, QoL, assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ‐C30, revealed that physical (8.1 ± 15.6, p < .047) and emotional (7.5 ± 3.5, p < .033) functioning as well as summary scores (7.1 ± 2.4, p < .048) improved, whereas others remain stable. Molecular docking simulation suggested that the peptides could induce body weight through the inhibition of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) upon digestion. Daily soypeptide supplementation could enhance weight gain and improve QoL among brain cancer patients possibly by inhibiting ACE activity. However, a follow‐up study with a larger sample size in a double‐blind randomized trial is required to validate these preliminary findings.

Haematococcus Pluvialis Extends Yeast Lifespan and Improves Slc25a46 Gene Knockout-Associated Mice Phenotypic Defects

SCOPE

Aging has become one of major concern worldwide. It is therefore of great significance in finding food resources as therapeutic candidates for aging-related functional decline improvement and prevention. This study aimed to define the potency of Haematococcus pluvialis (H. pluvialis) as an anti-aging food resource.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Yeast is used to explore the anti-aging effects of H. pluvialis. The result showed that H. pluvialis extract could effectively extend yeast chronological lifespan (CLS) by reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, promoting mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) levels and accumulating storage carbohydrate (glycogen). Subsequently, Slc25a46 knockout (Slc25a46-/- ) mice with mitochondrial dysfunction are fed with 100 mg kg-1 H. pluvialis extracts for 10 days. The in vivo data demonstrated that H. pluvialis extract could effectively improve the phenotypic deficits, including underweight, muscle weakness, redox imbalance, and mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction, etc., in Slc25a46-/- mice.

CONCLUSIONS

This work highlights that the mitochondria may be a potential therapeutic target for combating aging, and demonstrated that H. pluvialis, as a dietary supplement, may potentially be an effective preventive substance that may contribute to the promotion of healthy aging.

Effect of walnut peptide‐ZnO nanocomposites on the colon adhesion behavior of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LRa05

When the nanoparticles (NPs) in food contact materials are exposed, they may be ingested with the food matrix, resulting in unknown impacts. Here, the biological response of the nanocomposites of nano zinc oxide (nZnO) and walnut protein‐derived peptides (i.e., PW5, WN5, AE6, and WE7) on the Lactobacillus rhamnosus LRa05 growth and adhesion was studied. In an in vitro mouse intestinal adhesion model, we first spotted that the probiotics LRa05 primarily adhered to and colonized the colonic segment. nZnO effectively inhibited the growth and adhesion properties of LRa05 at high concentrations (≥ 1000 μg/mL). Fortunately, when compared to the individual nZnO, the nZnO‐walnut‐derived peptides nanocomposites significantly increased the growth of LRa05. It was found that the alterations in the adhesion ability of LRa05 after treatment with various substances (nZnO and nanocomposites of nZnO‐walnut peptides) were related to the auto‐aggregating property on the LRa05 surface. These results shed light on the effect of food matrices on the safety of nanomaterials in food, and they may have far‐reaching implications for the use of nanomaterials in the food industry.

Analysis the alteration of systemic inflammation in old and young APP/PS1 mouse

The impairment of cognitive function was considered as a major clinic feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Thus, a number of researches related to AD were focused on the changes in brain. However, as a neurodegenerative disorder with systemic inflammation, the periphery organs may also play a key role in AD pathology. Here, we pose the hypothesis that histopathology and inflammatory response of periphery organs may alter with aging in APP/PS1 mouse model. Therefore, we performed immunohistochemical staining technology to double label Aβ plaques and microglia cells in brain. The H&E staining was performed in periphery tissues and the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α were also determined. Next, the index of oxidative stress was measured. Consequently, the level of inflammatory factors was significantly increased in 24 months APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, the enzyme activity of SOD, CAT and GSH were significantly decreased in colon and other organs. Our results demonstrated the increased inflammation response and declined antioxidative capacity of periphery organs in aged APP/PS1 mice, which suggesting that a more comprehensive perspective to study AD were necessary.

Pentapeptide WN5 targets the gut microbiota in alleviating Alzheimer’s disease pathologies

BACKGROUND:

Antioxidant peptides have gained attention as potential therapeutic agents for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The gut microbiota is also increasingly being recognized as central to AD progression and a potential therapeutic target for the disease.

OBJECTIVE:

Using a recently-identified antioxidant pentapeptide (Trp-Pro-Pro-Lys-Asn, WN5), we sort to test the hypothesis that dietary components could target the microbiota to inhibit Aβ aggregation and relieve AD-related cognitive impairments.

METHOD:

An Aβ42 aggregation cell model was employed to predict the ability of WN5 to inhibit Aβ aggregation. APP/PS1 mice were then used to explore the learning and memory-improving capacity of WN5 by targeting the gut microbiota.

RESULTS:

WN5 dose-dependently attenuated cellular Aβ-aggregation. Oral administration of WN5 (WN5_G) was associated with decreased microbial diversity and tended to impact the abundance of several major bacterial species associated with AD. The observed microbiota changes were significantly associated with reduced hippocampal Aβ aggregation (17.6±0.71 for WN5_G and 25.4±1.7 for the control group; p < 0.009) and improved cognitive performance. However, these observations were absent when WN5 was administered intraperitoneally (WN5_Ip).

CONCLUSION:

The results from this preliminary study suggested that WN5 could be useful in ameliorating AD-related symptoms via the gut-brain-axis and further emphasize the significance of the gut microbiota in AD.

Design, methodology, and preliminary results of the non-human primates eye study

PURPOSE

To describe the normative profile of ophthalmic parameters in a healthy cynomolgus monkey colony, and to identify the characteristic of the spontaneous ocular disease non-human primates (NHP) models.

METHODS

The NHP eye study was a cross-sectional on-site ocular examination with about 1,000 macaques held in Guangdong Province, southeastern China. The NHPs (Macaca fascicularis, cynomolgus) in this study included middle-aged individuals with a high prevalence of the ocular disease. The NHP eye study (NHPES) performed the information including systematic data and ocular data. Ocular examination included measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior segment- optical coherence tomography (OCT), slit-lamp examination, fundus photography, autorefraction, electroretinography, etc. Ocular diseases included measurement of refractive error, anisometropia, cataract, pterygium, etc. RESULTS: A total of 1148 subjects were included and completed the ocular examination. The average age was 16.4 ± 4.93 years. Compared to the male participants, the females in the NHPES had shorter axial length and the mean Average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (except for the nasal quadrants). The mean IOP, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, axial length, central corneal thickness, choroid thickness and other parameters were similar in each group.

CONCLUSION

The NHPES is a unique and high-quality study, this is the first large macaque monkey cohort study focusing on ocular assessment along with comprehensive evaluation. Results from the NHPES will provide important information about the normal range of ophthalmic measurements in NHP.

Soybean‐derived peptide protects against an E. coli‐induced sepsis in cynomolgus monkeys

Sepsis is a life‐threatening condition that requires urgent medical attention. In this study, we investigated the potential of soybean‐derived peptides (soy peptides) as an anti‐inflammatory supplement for patients with sepsis. Cynomolgus monkeys were induced with sepsis by intravenous administration of three different concentrations of Escherichia coli (6.3 × 103, 6.3 × 105, and 6.3 × 107 CFU/kg). Changes in body weight and inflammatory markers were analyzed, and the high dose of 6.3 × 107 CFU/kg was found to be the most appropriate for sepsis modeling. Controlled enzymatic hydrolysis was then used to release bioactive soy peptides from soy protein isolate, which were administered to monkeys with sepsis. The results showed that soy peptide supplementation significantly suppressed inflammatory responses and improved coagulation abnormalities in the monkeys. Our findings suggest that soy peptides could be an effective clinical nutritional supplement for patients with sepsis, with potential benefits for reducing inflammation and improving coagulation. These results provide a foundation for further research into the development of novel nutritional supplements for patients with sepsis.

Culture and establishment of self-renewing human liver 3D organoids with high uric acid for screening antihyperuricemic functional compounds

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic disease caused by disorders of purine metabolism, the prevalence of which has increased worldwide. At present, most drugs aimed at lowering uric acid have toxic side effects, and in vitro screening of uric acid-lowering active substances are inefficient. Here, a long-term 3D human liver organoid culture system with high uric acid for screening and evaluating the efficacy of uric acid-lowering functional compounds. This liver organoids can be established from single hepatocytes and grown for multiple months, while retaining key morphological and functional features. Furthermore, establishment of HUA organoids model was verified by antihyperuricemic drugs allopurinol, as well as reported bioactive peptides, which significantly reduced uric acid production in the liver organoids (p < 0.05). The results demonstrated that it has the potential to be used as a rapid and valid in vitro model to screen antihyperuricemic compounds that mimics in vivo cell growth patterns.

The Age-Dependent Anticancer Efficacy of Agaricus blazei Murill Polysaccharide in Colon Cancer

Agaricus blazei Murill polysaccharide (ABMP) has been found to exhibit significant immune regulatory effects, making them a promising candidate for complementary to the pharmacological treatment of colorectal cancer immune-related diseases. As the prevalence of colorectal cancer among younger individuals increases, the possible age-dependent anticancer modulatory effect of ABMP has not been clarified. This study evaluated the age-dependent immunoregulatory efficacy of polysaccharides extraction from A. blazei in colon tumor. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and vibrational spectroscopic image analysis of subcutaneous tumor tissues after ABMP preventive intervention for 14 weeks were analyzed in depth. In vivo data demonstrated that ABMP could more effectively inhibit the growth of tumor in mice at 8 compared with 12 months old without toxic side effect. Concurrently, Raman imaging spectroscopy analysis showed that ABMP preventive intervention could significantly reduce the lipid content in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of 8-month-old subcutaneous tumor-bearing mice, suggesting that the changes in lipid content in TME are closely related to anticancer activity. These results stress the importance of considering age as a factor in polysaccharide adjuvant anticancer therapy. This work highlights for the first time that age is a key determinant in the ABMP preventive effectiveness by affecting lipid levels in the TME of tumor-bearing mice, thereby exerting anticancer activity.

Prediction and evaluation of purine-binding peptides using integrated molecular descriptors and docking analysis

Peptides and purines frequently coexist in food systems and can form specific molecular interactions, which may influence the physicochemical properties and bioavailability of purines. However, the structural basis and binding mechanisms of these peptide-purine interactions remain poorly understood. This study established a comprehensive screening approach combining molecular docking and descriptor analysis to evaluate peptide-purine binding interaction. The analysis revealed that strong-binding peptides were likely characterized by reduced cyclic structures and aromatic rings, with elevated electron-donor groups primarily composed of N and O atoms (p < 0.0001). These electron-rich functional groups appeared to enhance the formation of hydrogen bonds, which could play a crucial role in stabilizing peptide-purine complexes. Among various dietary purines, hypoxanthine emerged as the predominant species in processed meat products, warranting particular attention. Fluorescence spectroscopy experiments validated the computational predictions, confirming that the tetrapeptide WDQW (Peptide Purine Binding Score: -3.32) formed stable complexes with hypoxanthine exhibiting static quenching characteristics, primarily driven by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding. This investigation provides fundamental insights into peptide-purine binding mechanisms and establishes a screening platform for identifying peptide sequences with enhanced purine-binding properties, which might be valuable for modulating purine bioavailability in food systems.