Binding assessment of two arachidonic-based synthetic derivatives of adrenalin with β-lactoglobulin: Molecular modeling and chemometrics approach

Beta-lactoglobulin-nutrition allergen and nanotransporter of different nature ligands therapy with therapeutic action

β-lactoglobulin is one of the nutrition allergens present in the milk of many mammals, with the exception of human. This protein belongs to the family of lipocalins, consisting of nine antiparallel β-strands (β-A to β-I) and one α-helix. This structure allows it to serve as a nanotransporter of various nature ligands in a pH dependent manner, which allows us to confidently consider it as a reliable carrier of drugs directly into the intestine, bypassing the destructive acidic environment of the stomach. Based on the latest data, this review describes the currently known methods of reducing the allergenicity of beta-lactoglobulin, as well as the mechanisms and methods of forming complexes of this protein with ligands, which emphasizes its importance and versatility and explains the growing interest in studying its properties in recent decades, and also opens up prospects for its practical application in medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Construction of Fucoxanthin Vector Based on Binding of Whey Protein Isolate and Its Subsequent Complex Coacervation with Lysozyme

In this study, a novel vector for fucoxanthin (FX) was constructed using the ligand-binding property of whey protein isolate and its subsequent heteroprotein complex coacervation with lysozyme. The results showed that FX could quench the intrinsic fluorescence of the whey protein isolate by a static mechanism, indicating that they could spontaneously form a nanocomplex through non-covalent interactions. Moreover, the structural and electrostatic properties of the resulting whey protein were different from those before the binding of FX, and this could be well explained by molecular dynamics simulation. The size and ζ-potential tests showed that when the whey protein isolate was combined with FX and then coacervated with lysozyme, the heteroprotein ratio and pH, which affect the coacervation process, also changed compared to those of the free whey protein isolate. FT-IR spectroscopy results showed that FX was successfully encapsulated into complex coacervates. In addition, the heteroprotein system exhibited a higher loading efficiency and also provided a better protection for FX in heating, storage, and simulated gastrointestinal environments.