Bioactive peptides from broccoli stems strongly enhance regenerative keratinocytes by stimulating controlled proliferation

Jackfruit Leaf Protein Hydrolysates Obtained by Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Leaf Protein Concentrate with Pepsin and Pancreatin: Molecular Weight, Cytotoxicity, Antiproliferative Activity, and Oxidative Stress

Jackfruit leaf protein hydrolysates obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of leaf protein concentrate with gastrointestinal enzymes have shown good techno-functional properties and high antioxidant capacity. However, molecular weight, antiproliferative activity, cytotoxicity and the ability to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) are still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of jackfruit leaf protein hydrolysates obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis with pepsin and pancreatin at different hydrolysis times (30-240 min) on molecular weights, cytotoxicity, antiproliferation of cancer cells, and the reduction of reactive oxygen species in H2O2-induced HaCaT cells. The electrophoretic profile indicated that H-Pep contains peptides with molecular weights between 25 - 20 kDa. Meanwhile, H-Pan is composed of molecular weight products between 25 - 20 kDa and < 20 kDa. H-Pan and H-Pep (125-500 µg/mL) did not show significant cytotoxicity on HaCaT (human keratinocytes) and J774A.1 (murine macrophage cells). Antiproliferative activity was achieved in human cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer cells. H-Pan-240 min (1000 µg/mL) reduced the cell viability of cervical cancer cells by 23% while H-Pan-60 min significantly reduced cell viability of ovarian and liver cancer cells by 14.5 (500 µg/mL) and 17% (1000 µg/mL), respectively (P < 0.05). The protective effect against oxidative stress on H2O2-stressed HaCaT cells was obtained with H-Pep-60 min, which reduced 25% of ROS at 250 µg/mL (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrate the safe use of green biomass as a source of plant protein hydrolysates.

VOLKSMED Database: A Source for Forgotten Wound Healing Plants in Austrian Folk Medicine

The global increase in the incidence of wounds is concerning and fuels the search for new treatment options. The use of traditional medicinal plants in wound healing represents an appreciated available therapeutic possibility. This work introduces the VOLKSMED database, which contains plants and other materials used in Austrian folk medicine, either as monographs or mixtures. This work focuses on the monographs of the database. Concerning wound healing, Hypericum sp., Arnica montana, Calendula officinalis, Plantago sp., and Malva sp. are the most commonly used plants. The focus of this paper is set on selected lesser-known plants (Abies alba, Anthyllis vulneraria, Brassica sp., Gentiana sp., Larix decidua, Picea abies, Sambucus sp., Sanicula europaea) and their status quo in literature concerning wound healing. A systematic search using the databases SciFinder, SCOPUS, and PubMed yielded substantial evidence for the wound healing potential of Brassica sp., Gentiana sp., the Pinaceae A. abies, L. decidua, and P. abies, as well as Sambucus nigra. In vivo and clinical studies substantiate their use in Austrian folk medicine. According to the literature, especially A. vulneraria, Sambucus racemosa, and S. europaea would be worth investigating in-depth since data concerning their wound healing effects - even though scarce - are convincing. In conclusion, the VOLKSMED database contains promising opportunities for further treatment options in the field of wound healing. Future research should consider the listed plants to support their traditional use in Austrian folk medicine and possibly promote the implementation of old knowledge in modern medicine.

Deciphering the effect of salinity and boron stress on broccoli plants reveals that membranes phytosterols and PIP aquaporins facilitate stress adaptation

Abiotic stresses, such as salinity and boron toxicity/deficiency, are prevalent in arid and semi-arid regions where broccoli is largely cultivated. This study aimed to investigate the physiological response of broccoli leaves to these stresses, focusing on parameters such as growth, relative water content, stomatal conductance, and mineral concentration after 15 days of treatment application. The effects of individual and combined stresses of salinity and boron (deficiency and toxicity) were examined. Additionally, the study explored the molecular aspects of PIP aquaporins in relation to their presence in the plasma membrane and their interaction with the lipid environment. The results showed that the combined stress of salinity and boron deficiency resulted in a significant reduction in plant biomass, suggesting a specific adaptation to this stress combination. Changes in stomatal conductance and mineral nutrient levels indicated that the adaptation mechanisms were associated with water and boron concentration in the leaves. The expression patterns of PIP aquaporins varied among the different stress treatments, either individually or in combination. Furthermore, the presence of aquaporins in the plasma membrane and microsomal fraction highlighted the potential regulatory roles of trafficking along with the membrane composition, particularly the concentration of phytosterols. The results underscore the importance of water transport by aquaporins and their interaction with the sterol composition in the membranes, in facilitating salinity-boron stress adaptation mechanisms.

Spent Yeast Waste Streams as a Sustainable Source of Bioactive Peptides for Skin Applications

Spent yeast waste streams are a byproduct obtained from fermentation process and have been shown to be a rich secondary source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and peptides. The latter are of particular interest for skin care and cosmetics as they have been shown to be safe and hypoallergenic while simultaneously being able to exert various effects upon the epidermis modulating immune response and targeting skin metabolites, such as collagen production. As the potential of spent yeast's peptides has been mainly explored for food-related applications, this work sought to understand if peptide fractions previously extracted from fermentation engineered spent yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) waste streams possess biological potential for skin-related applications. To that end, cytotoxic effects on HaCat and HDFa cells and whether they were capable of exerting a positive effect upon the production of skin metabolites relevant for skin health, such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin and elastin, were evaluated. The results showed that the peptide fractions assayed were not cytotoxic up to the highest concentration tested (500 µg/mL) for both cell lines tested. Furthermore, all peptide fractions showed a capacity to modulate the various target metabolites production with an overall positive effect being observed for the four fractions over the six selected targets (pro-collagen IαI, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin, cytokeratin-14, elastin, and aquaporin-9). Concerning the evaluated fractions, the overall best performance (Gpep > 1 kDa) was of an average promotion of 41.25% over the six metabolites and two cell lines assessed at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. These results showed that the peptide fractions assayed in this work have potential for future applications in skin-related products at relatively low concentrations, thus providing an alternative solution for one of the fermentation industry's waste streams and creating a novel and highly valuable bioactive ingredient with encompassing activity to be applied in future skin care formulations.

Bioactive Oligopeptides from Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) Suppress Oxidative Stress-Induced Senescence in Fibroblasts via NAD+/SIRT1/PGC-1α Signaling Pathway

The physicochemical properties and multiple bioactive effects of ginseng oligopeptides (GOPs), plant-derived small molecule bioactive peptides, suggest a positive influence on health span and longevity. Given this, cellular senescence is the initiating factor and key mechanism of aging in the organism, and thus the current study sought to explore the effects of GOPs on H₂O₂-induced cellular senescence and its potential mechanisms. Senescence was induced in mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH/3T3 by 4 h of exposure to 200 µM H₂O₂ and confirmed using CCK-8 assay and Western blot analyses of p16^INK4A and p21^Waf1/Cip1 after 24 h of growth medium administration with or without GOPs supplementation (25, 50, and 100 µg/mL). We found that GOPs delayed oxidative stress-induced NIH/3T3 senescence by inhibiting the G1 phase arrest, increasing DNA synthesis in the S phase, decreasing the relative protein expression of p16^INK4A and p21^Waf1/Cip1, promoting cell viability, protecting DNA, and enhancing telomerase (TE) activity. Further investigation revealed that the increase in antioxidative capacity and anti-inflammation capacity might form the basis for the retarding of the senescence effects of GOPs. Furthermore, GOPs supplementation significantly improved mitochondrial function and mitochondrial biogenesis via the NAD⁺/SIRT1/PGC-1𝛼 pathway. These findings indicate that GOPs may have a positive effect on health span and lifespan extension via combating cellular senescence, oxidative stress, and inflammation, as well as modulating longevity regulating pathway NAD⁺/SIRT1/PGC-1𝛼.

The current research status and strategies employed to modify food-derived bioactive peptides

The ability of bioactive peptides to exert biological functions has mainly contributed to their exploitation. The exploitation and utilization of these peptides have grown tremendously over the past two decades. Food-derived peptides from sources such as plant, animal, and marine proteins and their byproducts constitute a more significant portion of the naturally-occurring peptides that have been documented. Due to their high specificity and biocompatibility, these peptides serve as a suitable alternative to pharmacological drugs for treating non-communicable diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and cancer). They are helpful as food preservatives, ingredients in functional foods, and dietary supplements in the food sector. Despite their unique features, the application of these peptides in the clinical and food sector is to some extent hindered by their inherent drawbacks such as toxicity, bitterness, instability, and susceptibility to enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. Several strategies have been employed to eliminate or reduce the disadvantages of peptides, thus enhancing the peptide bioactivity and broadening the opportunities for their applications. This review article focuses on the current research status of various bioactive peptides and the strategies that have been implemented to overcome their disadvantages. It will also highlight future perspectives regarding the possible improvements to be made for the development of bioactive peptides with practical uses and their commercialization.

Hormesis: Wound healing and keratinocytes

Hormetic dose responses (i.e., a biphasic dose/concentration response characterized by a low dose stimulation and a high dose inhibition) are shown herein to be commonly reported in the dermal wound healing process, with the particular focus on cell viability, proliferation, and migration of human keratinocytes in in vitro studies. Hormetic responses are induced by a wide range of substances, including endogenous agents, numerous drug and nanoparticle preparations and especially plant derived extracts, including many well-known dietary supplements as well as physical stressor agents, such as low-level laser treatments. Detailed mechanistic studies have identified common signaling pathways and their cross-pathway communications that mediate the hormetic dose responses. These findings suggest that the concept of hormesis plays a fundamental role in wound healing, with important potential implications for agent screening and evaluation, as well as clinical strategies.