Bioactive peptide with antioxidant and anticancer activities from black soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] byproduct: isolation, identification and molecular docking study

Bioinformatics tools for the study of bioactive peptides from vegetal sources: evolution and future perspectives

Bioactive peptides from vegetal sources have been shown to have functional properties as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihypertensive or antidiabetic capacity. For this reason, they have been proposed as an interesting and promising alternative to improve human health. In recent years, the numerous advances in the bioinformatics field for in silico prediction have speeded up the discovery of bioactive peptides, also reducing the associated costs when using an integrated approach between the classical and bioinformatics discovery. This review aims to provide an overview of the evolution, limitations and latest advances in the field of bioinformatics and computational tools, and specifically make a critical and comprehensive insight into computational techniques used to study the mechanism of interaction that allows the explanation of plant bioactive peptide functionality. In particular, molecular docking is considered key to explain the different functionalities that have been previously identified. The assumptions to simplify such a high complex environment implies a degree of uncertainty that can only be guaranteed and validated by in vitro or in vivo studies, however, the combination of databases, software and bioinformatics applications with the classical approach has become a promising procedure for the study of bioactive peptides.

Macromolecules with predominant β-pleated sheet proteins in extracellular vesicles released from Raphanus sativus L. var. caudatus Alef microgreens induce DNA damage-mediated apoptosis in HCT116 colon cancer cells

Plant-derived bioactive macromolecules (i.e., proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids) were prepared as extracellular vesicles (EVs). Plant-derived EVs are gaining pharmaceutical research interest because of their bioactive components and delivery properties. The spherical nanosized EVs derived from Raphanus sativus L. var. caudatus Alef microgreens previously showed antiproliferative activity in HCT116 colon cancer cells from macromolecular compositions (predominantly proteins). To understand the mechanism of action, the biological activity studies, i.e., antiproliferation, cellular biochemical changes, DNA conformational changes, DNA damage, apoptotic nuclear morphological changes, apoptosis induction, and apoptotic pathways, were determined by neutral red uptake assay, synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, comet assay, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, flow cytometry, and caspase activity assay, respectively. EVs inhibited HCT116 cell growth in concentration- and time-dependent manners, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 675.4 ± 33.8 μg/ml at 48 h and a selectivity index of 1.5 ± 0.076. HCT116 treated with EVs mainly changed the cellular biochemical compositions in the nucleic acids and carbohydrates region. The DNA damage caused no changes in DNA conformation. The apoptotic nuclear morphological changes were associated with the increased apoptotic cell population. The apoptotic cell death was induced by both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. EVs have potential as antiproliferative bioparticles.

A Review of Bioactive Compound Effects from Primary Legume Protein Sources in Human and Animal Health

The global demand for sustainable and nutritious food sources has catalyzed interest in legumes, known for their rich repertoire of health-promoting compounds. This review delves into the diverse array of bioactive peptides, protein subunits, isoflavones, antinutritional factors, and saponins found in the primary legume protein sources-soybeans, peas, chickpeas, and mung beans. The current state of research on these compounds is critically evaluated, with an emphasis on the potential health benefits, ranging from antioxidant and anticancer properties to the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The extensively studied soybean is highlighted and the relatively unexplored potential of other legumes is also included, pointing to a significant, underutilized resource for developing health-enhancing foods. The review advocates for future interdisciplinary research to further unravel the mechanisms of action of these bioactive compounds and to explore their synergistic effects. The ultimate goal is to leverage the full spectrum of benefits offered by legumes, not only to advance human health but also to contribute to the sustainability of food systems. By providing a comprehensive overview of the nutraceutical potential of legumes, this manuscript sets a foundation for future investigations aimed at optimizing the use of legumes in the global pursuit of health and nutritional security.

Antioxidant peptides, the guardian of life from oxidative stress

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced during oxidative metabolism in aerobic organisms. Under normal conditions, ROS production and elimination are in a relatively balanced state. However, under internal or external environmental stress, such as high glucose levels or UV radiation, ROS production can increase significantly, leading to oxidative stress. Excess ROS production not only damages biomolecules but is also closely associated with the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as skin photoaging, diabetes, and cancer. Antioxidant peptides (AOPs) are naturally occurring or artificially designed peptides that can reduce the levels of ROS and other pro-oxidants, thus showing great potential in the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases. In this review, we discussed ROS production and its role in inducing oxidative stress-related diseases in humans. Additionally, we discussed the sources, mechanism of action, and evaluation methods of AOPs and provided directions for future studies on AOPs.

Plant Protein-Derived Active Peptides: A Comprehensive Review

Active peptides are a class of physiologically active protein fragments, which can be prepared from different sources. In the past few decades, the production of peptides with various effects from different plant proteins continues to receive academic attention. With advances in extraction, purification, and characterization techniques, plant protein-derived active peptides continue to be discovered. They have been proven to have various functional activities such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antithrombotic, and so on. In this review, we searched Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for relevant articles published in recent years. There are 184 articles included in this manuscript. The current status of plant protein-derived active peptides is systematically introduced, including their sources, preparation, purification and identification methods, physiological activities, and applications in the food industry. Special emphasis has been placed on the problems of active peptide exploration and the future trend. Based on these, it is expected to provide theoretical reference for the further exploitation of plant protein-derived active peptides, and promote the healthy and rapid development of active peptide industry.

Plant-derived rennet: research progress, novel strategies for their isolation, identification, mechanism, bioactive peptide generation, and application in cheese manufacturing

Rennet, an aspartate protease found in the stomach of unweaned calves, effectively cuts the peptide bond between Phe105-Met106 in κ-casein, hydrolyzing the casein micelles to coagulate the milk and is a crucial additive in cheese production. Rennet is one of the most used enzymes of animal origin in cheese making. However, using rennet al.one is insufficient to meet the increasing demand for cheese production worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that plant rennet can be an alternative to bovine rennet and exhibit a good renneting effect. Therefore, it is crucial and urgent to find a reliable plant rennet. Based on our team's research on rennet enzymes of plant origin, such as from Dregea sinensis Hemsl. and Moringa oleifer Lam., for more than ten years, this paper reviews the relevant literature on rennet sources, isolation, identification, rennet mechanism, functional active peptide screening, and application in cheese production. In addition, it proposes the various techniques for targeted isolation and identification of rennet and efficient screening of functionally active peptides, which show excellent prospects for development.

Shifting archetype to nature's hidden gems: from sources, purification to uncover the nutritional potential of bioactive peptides

Contemporary scientific findings revealed that our daily food stuffs are enriched by encrypted bioactive peptides (BPs), evolved by peptide linkage of amino acids or encrypted from the native protein structures. Remarkable to these BPs lies in their potential health benefiting biological activities to serve as nutraceuticals or a lead addition to the development of functional foods. The biological activities of BPs vary depending on the sequence as well as amino acid composition. Existing database records approximately 3000 peptide sequences which possess potential biological activities such as antioxidants, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, anti-adipogenics, anti-microbials, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancerous. The growing evidences suggest that BPs have very low toxicity, higher accuracy, less tissue accretion, and are easily degraded in the disposed environment. BPs are nowadays evolved as biologically active molecules with potential scope to reduce microbial contamination as well as ward off oxidation of foods, amend diverse range of human diseases to enhance the overall quality of human life. Against the clinical and health perspectives of BPs, this review aimed to elaborate current evolution of nutritional potential of BPs, studies pertaining to overcome limitations with respect to special focus on emerging extraction, protection and delivery tools of BPs. In addition, the nano-delivery mechanism of BP and its clinical significance is detailed. The aim of current review is to augment the research in the field of BPs production, identification, characterisation and to speed up the investigation of the incredible potentials of BPs as potential nutritional and functional food ingredient.

The Beneficial Effects of Soybean Proteins and Peptides on Chronic Diseases

With lifestyle changes, chronic diseases have become a public health problem worldwide, causing a huge burden on the global economy. Risk factors associated with chronic diseases mainly include abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, elevated triglycerides, cancer, and other characteristics. Plant-sourced proteins have received more and more attention in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases in recent years. Soybean is a low-cost, high-quality protein resource that contains 40% protein. Soybean peptides have been widely studied in the regulation of chronic diseases. In this review, the structure, function, absorption, and metabolism of soybean peptides are introduced briefly. The regulatory effects of soybean peptides on a few main chronic diseases were also reviewed, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and cancer. We also addressed the shortcomings of functional research on soybean proteins and peptides in chronic diseases and the possible directions in the future.

Recent Advances in In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Antioxidant, ACE-Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Peptides from Legume Protein Hydrolysates

Consumption of legumes has been shown to enhance health and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and specific types of cancer. ACE inhibitors, antioxidants, and synthetic anti-inflammatories are widely used today; however, they have several undesirable side effects. Thus, researchers have focused on finding ACE inhibitors, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory peptides from natural sources, such as legumes. Recently, in vitro and in vivo research has shown the bioactive peptides generated from legume protein hydrolysates, such as antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, anticancer, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, etc., in the context of different disease mitigation. Therefore, this review aims to describe the recent advances in in vitro and in vivo studies of antioxidant, anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory peptides isolated from legume-derived protein hydrolysates. The results indicated that antioxidant legumes peptides are characterized by short-chain sequence amino acids and possess anti-hypertensive properties by reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Proteins and their functionalization for finding therapeutic avenues in cancer: Current status and future prospective

Despite the remarkable advancement in the health care sector, cancer remains the second most fatal disease globally. The existing conventional cancer treatments primarily include chemotherapy, which has been associated with little to severe side effects, and radiotherapy, which is usually expensive. To overcome these problems, target-specific nanocarriers have been explored for delivering chemo drugs. However, recent reports on using a few proteins having anticancer activity and further use of them as drug carriers have generated tremendous attention for furthering the research towards cancer therapy. Biomolecules, especially proteins, have emerged as suitable alternatives in cancer treatment due to multiple favourable properties including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and structural flexibility for easy surface functionalization. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have reported that various proteins derived from animal, plant, and bacterial species, demonstrated strong cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties against malignant cells in native and their different structural conformations. Moreover, surface tunable properties of these proteins help to bind a range of anticancer drugs and target ligands, thus making them efficient delivery agents in cancer therapy. Here, we discuss various proteins obtained from common exogenous sources and how they transform into effective anticancer agents. We also comprehensively discuss the tumor-killing mechanisms of different dietary proteins such as bovine α-lactalbumin, hen egg-white lysozyme, and their conjugates. We also articulate how protein nanostructures can be used as carriers for delivering cancer drugs and theranostics, and strategies to be adopted for improving their in vivo delivery and targeting. We further discuss the FDA-approved protein-based anticancer formulations along with those in different phases of clinical trials.

Potential Role of Bioactive Proteins and Peptides Derived from Legumes towards Metabolic Syndrome

Legumes have been widely consumed and used to isolate bioactive compounds, mainly proteins. The aim of this study was to review the beneficial actions of different legumes proteins and peptides updating the main findings that correlate legumes consumption and the effects on non-transmissible chronic diseases, specifically metabolic syndrome. An exhaustive revision of five relevant bioactivities (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic -all of them linked to metabolic syndrome- and antitumoral) of proteins and peptides from legumes focused on isolation and purification, enzymatic hydrolysis and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was carried out. The promising potential of bioactive hydrolysates and peptides from pulses has been demonstrated by in vitro tests. However, only a few studies validated these biological activities using animal models. No clinical trials have been carried out yet; so further research is required to elucidate their effective health implications.

Bioactive and health-promoting properties of enzymatic hydrolysates of legume proteins: a review

This study comprehensively reviewed the effect of controlled enzymatic hydrolysis on the bioactivity of pulse protein hydrolysates (PPHs). Proteolysis results in the partial structural unfolding of pulse proteins with an increase in buried hydrophobic groups of peptide sequences. The use of PPHs in a dose-dependent manner can enhance free radical scavenging and improve antioxidant activities regarding inhibition of lipid oxidation, ferric reducing power, metal ion chelation, and β-carotene bleaching inhibition. Ultrafiltered peptide fractions with low molecular weights imparted angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effects during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion and in vivo conditions. Ultrasonication, high-pressure pretreatments, and glycosylation as post-treatments can improve the antiradical, antioxidant, and ACE inhibitory activities of PPHs. The electrostatic attachment of pulse peptides to microbial cells can inhibit the growth and activity of bacteria and fungi. Bioactive pulse peptides can reduce serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and inhibit the formation of adipocyte lipid storage, allergenic factors, inflammatory markers, and arterial thrombus without cytotoxicity. The combination of germination and enzymatic hydrolysis can significantly increase the protein digestibility and bioavailability of essential amino acids. Moreover, the utilization and enrichment of bakery and meat products with functional PPHs ensure quality, safety, and health aspects of food products.

Serine O-acetyltransferase derived NV14 peptide reduces cytotoxicity in H2O2 induced MDCK cells and inhibits MCF-7 cell proliferation through caspase gene expression

BACKGROUND

Most of the bioactive peptides exhibit antioxidant effect and do elicit inhibitory effect on proliferation of cancer cells. This study investigates the in-vitro antioxidant and anti-cancer properties of NV14 peptide, derived from serine O-acetyltransferase (SAT) of spirulina, Arthrospira platensis.

METHODS

The anti-cancer effect of the peptide was evaluated using human adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (MCF-7), while the anti-oxidant potential, as in reduction in ROS concentration, has been established using the H₂O₂-exposed, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. The outcome of the in vitro analyses has been evaluated by in silico molecular docking analyses.

RESULTS

The peptide, dose-dependently, reduced oxidative stress as well as cell proliferation. Besides, based on the binding scores between NV14 peptide and the important proteins associated with apoptosis and antioxidant defense, it is evident that the peptide has antioxidant and anti-cancer effect, in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, this study demonstrates that NV14 has a potent antioxidant and anti-cancer capability; however, further direction needs to be focused on clinical or pharmacodynamics aspects.

Bioactive Peptides: An Understanding from Current Screening Methodology

Bioactive peptides with high potency against numerous human disorders have been regarded as a promising therapy in disease control. These peptides could be released from various dietary protein sources through hydrolysis processing using physical conditions, chemical agents, microbial fermentation, or enzymatic digestions. Considering the diversity of the original proteins and the complexity of the multiple structural peptides that existed in the hydrolysis mixture, the screening of bioactive peptides will be a challenge task. Well-organized and well-designed methods are necessarily required to enhance the efficiency of studying the potential peptides. This article, hence, provides an overview of bioactive peptides with an emphasis on the current strategy used for screening and characterization methods. Moreover, the understanding of the biological activities of peptides, mechanism inhibitions, and the interaction of the complex of peptide–enzyme is commonly evaluated using specific in vitro assays and molecular docking analysis.

Antioxidant and alpha-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory properties of hydrolyzed protein and bioactive peptides of quinoa

The quinoa protein is gaining global attraction due to high content of gluten-free protein. It is a rich source of high-quality protein with all essential amino acids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and alpha-glucosidase inhibition effect of bioactive peptides obtained from quinoa protein that was hydrolyzed by alcalase and trypsin. Peptides were fractionated using ultrafiltration with MW cut-off = 3, 10 kDa. The peptide concentration was evaluated using OPA solution and peptide bonds were studied by SDS-PAGE. The highest antioxidant activity obtained from quinoa bioactive peptides by alcalase and trypsin was observed after 0.5 h (10 kDa≤) and 4 h (3 kDa≥), respectively. The highest α-glucosidase inhibition activity was observed in peptides with MW 3 kDa ≥ when hydrolyzed by trypsin. The amino acid composition of the most effective samples has been determined. Comparing the results showed that MW and the composition of peptides influenced the studied traits. From the result of this study, it concluded that bioactive peptides obtained from quinoa protein could be used in functional food and supplements formulation.

The Hydrolytic Peptides of Soybean Protein Induce Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis on Human Oral Cancer Cell Line HSC-3

Protein hydrolysates from various sources, including tuna cooking juice, soy protein isolate, sodium caseinate, wheat gluten and skin gelatin from porcine, tilapia, halibut and milkfish were analyzed to screen their antiproliferative activities against the human oral squamous carcinoma cell line, HSC-3. The soy protein isolate was selected for further investigations based on its hydrolysates with bromelain (SB) and thermolysin (ST), showing the greatest inhibition of cell growth. The SB and ST hydrolysates showed antiproliferative activities up to 35.45–76.39% against HSC-3 cells at 72 h, and their IC₅₀ values were 0.74 and 0.60 mg/mL, respectively. SB and ST induced cell cycle arrest in the S phase through a pathway independent of p21 and p27 protein expression. Further, ST induced the apoptosis of HSC-3 cells by downregulating expression of Bcl-2, PARP, caspase 3 and caspase 9, but an upregulating expression of p53 and cleaved caspase 3. Unlike ST, SB may induce necrosis on HSC-3 cells. Thus, soybean hydrolysates may be a good source for providing antiproliferative peptides against HSC-3, while SB and ST may have the potential to be developed as functional foods.

Antiproliferation of MP12 derived from a fungus, Aphanomyces invadans virulence factor, cysteine-rich trypsin inhibitor on human laryngeal epithelial cells, and in vivo zebrafish embryo model

Peptide-based drug development is an emerging and promising approach in cancer therapeutics. The present study focuses on understanding the mechanism of MP12 peptide (MDNHVCIPLCPP) derived from cysteine-rich trypsin inhibitor protein of virulence factor of pathogenic fungus Aphanomyces invadans. MP12 is involved in antiproliferative activity against the human laryngeal epithelial cell (Hep-2), demonstrated in this study. MP12 sequence showed a significant binding score and has multiple hydrogen bond interactions with the proteins that play a vital role in apoptotic pathways such as Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-7, and XIAP. Based on the bioinformatics characterization and molecular docking result, further study was focused on MP12 antiproliferative activity. The peptide showed a dose-dependent inhibition against Hep-2 cell line proliferation, analyzed over MTT and neutral red uptake assays. The IC₅₀ value of the MP12 peptide was calculated based on the antiproliferative property (24.7 ± 0.34 μM). MP12 treated Hep-2 cells showed significant shrinkage in cell morphology compared to untreated cells, inhibiting the cell cycle. The gene expression analysis validated that the MP12 significantly upregulates the caspase-3, caspase-7, and caspase-9 genes. The developmental toxicity study using zebrafish embryos as in vivo model proved that the MP12 is nontoxic. Based on the obtained results, we proposed that the peptide MP12 derived from cysteine-rich trypsin inhibitor protein of virulence molecule of pathogenic fungus have a potential antiproliferative activity. However, further clinical trials need to be focused on the mechanism and therapeutic application against laryngeal cancer.

Black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.): paving the way toward new nutraceutical

Black soybean (BS) is a nutritious legume that is high in proteins, essential amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, isoflavones, and flavones. Traditional approaches for extracting BS bioactive compounds are commonly employed because they are simple and inexpensive, but they use toxic solvents and have lower yields. As a result, new extraction techniques have been developed, such as microwave, ultrasound, and enzyme-assisted extraction. Modern approaches are less harmful to the environment, are faster, and produce higher yields. The major anthocyanin in the BS seed coat was discovered as cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, accounting for nearly 75% of the total anthocyanins. BS and its seed coat also contains phenolic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, gallic, vanillin, syringic acid), isoflavones (daidzein, glycitein and genistein), flavones, flavonols, flavanones, and flavanols. Bioactive compounds present in BS exhibit antioxidant, anti-cancerous, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, cardio and neuroprotective activities. The characterization and biological activity investigation of these bioactive compounds has provided researchers and food manufacturers with valuable information for developing functional food products and nutraceutical ingredients. In this review, the nutritional makeup of BS is reviewed, and the paper seeks to provide an insight of bioactive compound extraction methods as well as bioactive compounds identified by various researchers. The biological activities of BS extracts and their potential applications in food products (noodles), biodegradable films (pH sensitive film), and therapeutic applications (wound healing and anti-inflammation) are also discussed in the study. Therefore, BS have enormous potential for use in developing functional foods and nutraceutical components. This is the first review of its sort to describe and explain various extraction methodologies and characterization of bioactives, as well as their biological activity recorded in diverse works of literature, making it possible for food manufacturers and scientists to get a quick overview.

Integration of Molecular Docking Analysis and Molecular Dynamics Simulations for Studying Food Proteins and Bioactive Peptides

In silico tools, such as molecular docking, are widely applied to study interactions and binding affinity of biological activity of proteins and peptides. However, restricted sampling of both ligand and receptor conformations and use of approximated scoring functions can produce results that do not correlate with actual experimental binding affinities. Molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) can provide valuable information in deciphering functional mechanisms of proteins/peptides and other biomolecules, overcoming the rigid sampling limitations in docking analysis. This review will discuss the information related to the traditional use of in silico models, such as molecular docking, and its application for studying food proteins and bioactive peptides, followed by an in-depth introduction to the theory of MDS and description of why these molecular simulation techniques are important in the theoretical prediction of structural and functional dynamics of food proteins and bioactive peptides. Applications, limitations, and future prospects of MDS will also be discussed.

Current findings support the potential use of bioactive peptides in enhancing zinc absorption in humans

More than two billion people around the world are affected by zinc deficiency, mainly due to the inadequate intake and absorption of zinc. Based on recent research findings, the bioactive peptides could potentially be used to combat zinc deficiency particularly due to their Zinc chelating ability. The main aim of this review was to present current findings, supporting the potential use of bioactive peptides based on their ability to enhance zinc absorption. In-vivo, in-vitro, and ex-vivo studies have demonstrated that zinc chelating peptides can enhance the retention, transportation, and absorption of zinc. Comparative studies on zinc bioavailability from protein hydrolysates and zinc salts have demonstrated that the protein hydrolysates-zinc complexes are more bioavailable than the zinc salts. Data from the structure-function relationship of zinc chelating peptides suggest that the zinc chelating capacities of peptides increase in the following order; the position of zinc chelator > zinc chelator strength > abundance of zinc chelators > net charge > molecular weight. In addition, the transport mechanism of peptide-zinc complex is hypothesized, and the potential use of bioactive peptides based on their safety and taste and limitations to their commercialization are also discussed.

Role of bioactive peptides derived from food proteins in programmed cell death to treat inflammatory diseases and cancer

Bioactive peptides are specific peptide which usually contains 2-20 amino acid residues and actively exerts various functions and biological activities and ultimately affect health. Programmed cell deaths are some styles of cell death discovered in recent years, which is the key to tissue development and balance, eliminating excess, damaged or aging cells. More importantly, programmed cell death is a potential way to treat inflammatory diseases and cancer. In this review, through screening references from 2015 to present, we introduce the effect of bioactive peptides derived from food proteins on inflammatory diseases or cancer through regulating programmed cell deaths, including apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and necroptosis. And this review also introduces the targets of these bioactive peptides to regulate programmed cell death. The purpose of this review is to help to expand the prospective applications of bioactive peptides in the field of inflammatory disease and cancer to provide some guidance.

Biologia futura: medicinal plants-derived bioactive peptides in functional perspective-a review

Bioactive peptides (BPs) are 3-20 amino acid residues, with a molecular weight lower than 6 kDa; originated from the breakdown of proteins by endogenous and exogenous peptidases. While intact in protein these peptides do not exert any biological activity, but as they release from their parent protein, they exert various pharmacological activities such as antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anticancerous, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory. Such peptides exist in all living organism like plants, animals, marine organism and also present in food products derived from them. BPs obtained from dairy food products, cereals, vegetables have been gaining much more importance now-a-days, but little work has been done on bioactive peptides obtained from medicinal plants. Some of the medicinal plants such as Tinospora cordifolia Sterculia foetida, Benincasa hispida, Parkia speciosa, Linum usitatissimum, Salvia hispanica and Ziziphus jujube have been explored for bioactive peptides. Current review is aimed to provide a complete information of medicinal plants derived BPs along with the surge of new materials, new plants which will provide more solutions for handling some of the major human health problems of twenty-first century. This review will also be helpful to researchers in providing valuable information about the extraction, separation, characterization of BPs, their known peptide sequences and various pharmacological activities exerted by medicinal plants-derived bioactive peptides.

Antiproliferative effects of mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) aqueous extract on human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cancer cell lines

Recently, insects have aroused the interest of researchers as potential therapeutic resources against malignant diseases such as cancer. In this study, the effects of aqueous extracts from mysore thorn borer (MTB) (Anoplophora chinensis) and mealworm larvae (MWL) (Tenebrio molitor) against cancer cells were investigated. MWL aqueous extract showed higher antiproliferative effects against Caco-2 and HepG2 cells compared to MTB. The IC₅₀ (48 hr) of MWL aqueous extract were 11.44 and 20 mg/ml for Caco-2 and HepG2 respectively. Flow cytometry analysis showed that MWL aqueous extract induced apoptosis in Caco-2 and HepG2 increasing from 2.06% to 74.34% and from 0.04% to 42.14% after 24 hr respectively. Caspase activity assay showed that apoptosis was mediated via death receptor pathway mediated by caspase-8 and -9 followed by the activation of caspase-3; caspase-3 may have induced DNA damage and cell death. These effects may be correlated to its free amino acids. The results of this study demonstrate the potentials of MWL in the development of natural anticancer therapeutics in the future. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Natural nutraceuticals from insects might be useful for the treatment and prevention of cancers such as colorectal and liver cancer. In recent years, edible insects have caught the attention of researchers, because of their potential as an alternative source of food and nutraceuticals. The results of our study showed that MWL extract might provide important anticancer compounds against colon and liver cancer.

Use of anticancer peptides as an alternative approach for targeted therapy in breast cancer: a review

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Traditional therapies are expensive and cause severe side effects. Targeted therapy is a powerful method to circumvent the problems of other therapies. It also allows drugs to localize at predefined targets in a selective manner. Currently, there are several monoclonal antibodies which target breast cancer cell surface markers. However, using antibodies has some limitations. In the last two decades, many investigators have discovered peptides that may be useful to target breast cancer cells. In this article, we provide an overview on anti-breast cancer peptides, their sources and biological activities. We further discuss the pros and cons of using anticancer peptides with further emphasis on how to improve their effectiveness in cancer therapy.

Antiproliferative Rapeseed Defatted Meal Protein and Their Hydrolysates on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells and Human Fibroblasts

Defatted rapeseed meal (DRM) is a sub-valorized agro-industrial by-product, with a high protein content whose peptides could have potential anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. The objective of the present study is to obtain an enzymatic hydrolysate of rapeseed protein that inhibits proliferation on a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), but not healthy human fibroblast cells. The DRM was solubilized in an alkaline medium to obtain an alkaline rapeseed extract (RAE). Acid precipitation of the proteins contained in RAE recovered a rapeseed protein isolate (RPI). To produce protein hydrolysates, two alkaline protease and different enzyme/substrate ratios were used. All the protein hydrolysates showed antiproliferative activity on MCF-7 cells. However, only the hydrolysate recovered from the enzymatic hydrolysis of RPI (Degree of hydrolysis (DH ) between 8.5 and 9% (DH1)) did not affect human fibroblast cells, inhibiting 83.9% of MCF-7 cells' proliferation and showing a mass yield of 22.9% (based on the initial DRM). The SDS-PAGE gel revealed that DH1 was composed mainly of 10 kDa peptides and, to a lesser extent, 5 and 2 kDa. It is concluded that DH1 is a promising peptide extract for future research as a putative anti-breast cancer agent.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of black cricket (Gryllus assimilis) proteins positively affects their antioxidant properties

The development of innovative ingredients through biotechnological routes has established insect proteins as an emerging source of bioactive peptides. The current study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties of black cricket (Gryllus assimilis) protein hydrolysates produced using the proteases Flavourzyme^TM 500L, Alcalase^TM 2.4L, and Neutrase^TM 0.8L, either individually or in binary/ternary combinations. The enzymatic hydrolysis promoted an increase of approximately 160% in total antioxidant capacity and 93% in the ferric reducing antioxidant power. The isolated use of the enzyme Flavourzyme^TM 500L showed the most prominent positive effect on the antioxidant properties, presenting an IC₅₀ value of 455 and 71 µg/mL for DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging activities, respectively. This sample was composed mainly of small peptides (MW < 3 kDa), in which the antioxidant properties increased after fractionation by ultrafiltration. Gel electrophoresis analysis showed protein hydrolysates composed mainly of polypeptide chains with a mass of less than 14 kDa. Finally, the enzymatic treatment proved to be an efficient process to improve the antioxidant properties of black cricket proteins, increasing the possibility of applying these hydrolysates as bioactive ingredients in food or nutraceutical products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Insects represent an alternative source of proteins. Their modification through hydrolysis allows for the acquisition of compounds with great potential in industrial applications, such as functional ingredients or for nutraceutical purposes. The use of our experimental design proved to be an adequate tool for defining the best process conditions required for increasing the attainment of biologically active compounds.

Production and processing of antioxidant bioactive peptides: A driving force for the functional food market

Recently, the demand for functional foods in the global market has increased rapidly due to the increasing occurrences of non-communicable diseases and technological advancement. Antioxidant peptides have been suggested as ingredients used to produce health-promoting foods. These peptides are encrypted from various food derived protein sources by chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis, and microbial fermentation. However, the industrial-scale production of antioxidant peptides is hampered by different problems such as high production cost, and low yield and bioactivity. Accordingly, novel processing technologies, such as high pressure, microwave and pulsed electric field, have been recently emerged to overcome the problems associated with the conventional hydrolysis methods. This particular review, therefore, discussed the current processing technologies used to produce antioxidant peptides. The review also suggested further perspectives that should be addressed in the future.

Optimization of Liquid Culture Condition of a Novel Fungus Hygrophoropsis sp. and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts

To evaluate pharmacological activities of a novel fungus Hygrophoropsis sp., the influence of aeration rate on the production of mycelial biomass, exopolysaccharides (EPS), and intrapolysaccharides (IPS) in the fungus Hygrophoropsis sp. was investigated. And the water extracts of cultured Hygrophoropsis sp. mycelia and the fermentation broth were analyzed for their antioxidation activity by using four different assay methods such as hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and reducing power. The Hygrophoropsis sp. was cultivated under various aeration rates in a 7 l bioreactor. The highest mycelial biomass (3.98 mg/mL) and IPS production (19.63 mg/g) were obtained at aeration rate 4.5 v.v.m. The results showed that Hygrophoropsis sp., in general, possesses a strong antioxidation activity in all assays tested. The deproteinized extracts had stronger antioxidation activity as compared to the un-deproteinized extracts by using superoxide radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and reducing power. Besides, the un-deproteinized extracts had stronger antioxidation activity as compared to the deproteinized extracts by using hydroxyl radical scavenging. Thus, the polysaccharide extractions from the Hygrophoropsis sp. studied have antioxidant activities in vitro, which may be a good source of natural antioxidants or further investigation as potential natural antioxidants.

Health Promoting Bioactive Properties of Novel Hairless Canary Seed Flour after In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion

The bioactive properties and health-promoting effects of two novel yellow (C09052, C05041) and two brown (Calvi, Bastia) hairless canary seed (Phalaris canariensis L.) cultivars were investigated in comparison to two common cereal grains (wheat and oat). The cereal flours were digested using the standardized INFOGEST in vitro human gastrointestinal digestion model. The three-kilo dalton molecular weight cutoff (3 kDa MWCO) permeate of the generated digestates was assessed in vitro for their antioxidant, chelating, antihypertensive and antidiabetic activities. The results showed no significant differences in studied bioactivities between yellow and brown canary seed cultivars, except for antioxidant activity by the DPPH and chelating Fe2+ assays, where brown cultivars had higher activities. Canary seeds had superior or equivalent antioxidant activity than those from oat and wheat. The anti-hypertensive activity (Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition) in yellow canary seed cultivars was significantly higher than that of oat and wheat, particularly for C09052 and Calvi varieties. Peptides exhibiting the highest antihypertensive activity from the permeate of the C09052 canary seed variety were further fractionated and identified by mass spectrometry. Forty-six peptides were identified belonging to 18 proteins from the Pooideae subfamily. Fourteen of the parent proteins were homologous to barley proteins. Peptides were analyzed in silico to determine potential bioactivity based on their amino acid composition. All 46 peptides had potential anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic activities and 20 had potential antioxidant activity, thereby validating the in vitro assay data. Canary seed peptides also exhibited potential antiamnestic, antithrombotic, immunostimulating, opioid and neuro-activity, demonstrating important potential for health promoting effects, particularly against cardiovascular disease.

Recent Advances in Polymer Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery of Adjuvants in Colorectal Cancer Treatment: A Scientific-Technological Analysis and Review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the type with the second highest morbidity. Recently, a great number of bioactive compounds and encapsulation techniques have been developed. Thus, this paper aims to review the drug delivery strategies for chemotherapy adjuvant treatments for CRC, including an initial scientific-technological analysis of the papers and patents related to cancer, CRC, and adjuvant treatments. For 2018, a total of 167,366 cancer-related papers and 306,240 patents were found. Adjuvant treatments represented 39.3% of the total CRC patents, indicating the importance of adjuvants in the prognosis of patients. Chemotherapy adjuvants can be divided into two groups, natural and synthetic (5-fluorouracil and derivatives). Both groups can be encapsulated using polymers. Polymer-based drug delivery systems can be classified according to polymer nature. From those, anionic polymers have garnered the most attention, because they are pH responsive. The use of polymers tailors the desorption profile, improving drug bioavailability and enhancing the local treatment of CRC via oral administration. Finally, it can be concluded that antioxidants are emerging compounds that can complement today's chemotherapy treatments. In the long term, encapsulated antioxidants will replace synthetic drugs and will play an important role in curing CRC.

Antioxidant activities of the water-soluble fractions of glandless and glanded cottonseed protein

To promote application of cottonseed protein products in food industry, this work measured antioxidant activities of two water soluble protein samples (Gl-L and Gd-L) isolated in a lab scale from glandless and common glanded cottonseed meal, respectively, and one soluble protein samples (Gd-P) in a pilot scale from glanded cottonseed meal. SDS-gel electrophoresis showed that the distribution patterns of the peptide fragments in Gl-L and Gd-L were similar, but more fragments and higher molecular mass bands were observed in the Gd-P gel image. While Gd-P showed the highest activities, Gl-L and Gd-L exhibited comparable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activities in most cases. In contrast, Gd-P showed lower capability of inhibition of linoleic acid autoxidation than Gl-L and Gd-L. It would be of great interest in further research on these protein fractions in food products and processes (such as roasting) involved in the protective effects of food spoilage.

Identification and antimicrobial activity evaluation of three peptides from laba garlic and the related mechanism

Laba garlic is a traditional Chinese processed garlic (Allium sativum L.) with multiple health benefits.