Properties and Applications of Nanoparticles from Plant Proteins

Ultrasonication-Assisted Green Synthesis and Physicochemical and Cytotoxic Activity Characterization of Protein-Based Nanoparticles from Moringa oleifera Seeds

Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is globally recognized for its medicinal properties and offers high-quality, protein-rich seeds. This study aimed to explore the potential of M. oleifera seeds as a significant source of protein-based nanoparticles (PBNPs) using the ultrasonication technique after desolvation and to evaluate their cytotoxicity in the human leukemia cell line (THP-1) for the first time. The properties of the PBNPs were confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The extracted protein from moringa seed cake flour had a significant protein content of 54.20%, and the resulting PBNPs had an average size of 134.3 ± 0.47 nm with a robust zeta potential of -43.15 mV. Notably, our study revealed that PBNPs exhibited cytotoxic potential at high concentrations, especially against the THP-1 human leukemia cell line, which is widely used to study immunomodulatory properties. The inhibitory effect of PBNPs was quantitatively evidenced by a cytotoxicity assay, which showed that a concentration of 206.5 μg mL-1 (log conc. 2.315) was required to inhibit 50% of biological activity. In conclusion, our findings highlight the potential of M. oleifera seeds as a valuable resource in the innovative field of eco-friendly PBNPs by combining traditional medicinal applications with contemporary advancements in protein nanotechnology. However, further studies are required to ensure their biocompatibility.

Perspective on oral processing of plant-based beverages

Around the world, the market for plant-derived beverages is one of the fastest-expanding segments in the functional and specialty beverage areas of newer food product development. Consumers are increasingly likely to choose alternatives to bovine beverages due to factors including lactose intolerance, hypercholesterolemia prevalence, allergies to bovine beverages, and preference for vegan diets that contain functionally active ingredients with health-promoting characteristics. Due to health, ecological, and ethical concerns, many customers are interested in reducing their usage of animal products like bovine milk. A variety of plant-based beverage substitutes are being created by the food sector as a result. To create viable alternatives, it is first necessary to provide an overview of the chemical composition, structure, features, and nutritional attributes of ordinary bovine milk. Sensory acceptability in the case of substitutes for beverages made from legumes is a significant barrier to their widespread acceptance, and thus saliva acts as a sophisticated fluid that serves a variety of purposes in the cavity of the mouth. Designing and producing next-generation plant-based beverages that mimic the physicochemical and functional qualities of conventional bovine-based beverages is gaining popularity, and many of these products can be thought of as colloidal materials that contain the particles or polymers that give them their unique qualities NG-PB foods can have a wide range of rheological qualities, such as fluids with low viscosity (such as plant-based beverages), high-viscosity liquids (like creams), soft liquids (like yogurt), as well as hard solids (such as some cheeses).

Investigating the interaction mechanism between gliadin and lysozyme through multispectroscopic analysis and molecular dynamic simulations

The development of stable nanocomplexes based on gliadin and other biopolymers shows potential applications as delivery vehicles in the food industry. However, there is limited study specifically targeting the gliadin-lysozyme system, and their underlying interaction mechanism remains poorly understood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the binding mechanism between gliadin and lysozyme using a combination of multispectroscopic methods and molecular dynamic simulations. Stable gliadin-lysozyme complex nanoparticles were prepared using an anti-solvent precipitation method with a gliadin-to-lysozyme mass ratio of 2:1 and pH 4.0. The characteristic changes in the UV-visible spectrum of gliadin induced by lysozyme confirmed the complex formation. The analyses of fluorescence, FT-IR spectra, and dissociation tests demonstrated the indispensability of hydrophobic, electrostatic, and hydrogen bonding interactions in the preparation of the composites. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the surface morphology of the nanoparticles changed from smooth and spherical to rough and irregular with the addition of lysozyme. Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulations suggested that lysozyme bound to the hydrophobic region of gliadin and hydrogen bonding was crucial for the stability of the complex. These findings contribute to the advancement of gliadin-lysozyme complex nanoparticles as an efficient delivery system for encapsulating bioactive compounds in food industry.

Zein/Polysaccharide Nanoscale Electrostatic Complexes: Preparation, Drug Encapsulation and Antibacterial Properties

Characterization of zein aqueous solutions, as a function of the ethanol content and pH, was performed, giving information on the zein aggregation state for the construction of complexes. The aggregation state and surface charge of zein was found to depend on the mixed solvent composition and pH. Nonstoichiometric complex nanoparticles (NPECs) were prepared by electrostatically self-assembling zein, as the polycation, and sodium alginate or chondroitin sulfate, as the polyanions, at a pH of 4. A wide range of parameters were investigated: the alcohol-water content in the zein solutions, the charge molar ratios, the solution addition order and the addition rate. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, circular dichroism and scanning electron microscopy. The smallest size for the NPECs (100 nm) was obtained when the polysaccharides acted as the titrate with an addition rate of 0.03 mL·min-1. The NPECs with the best characteristics were selected for loading with ciprofloxacin and then deposited on a cellulosic material in order to evaluate their antibacterial activity. Substantial drug encapsulation with desired drug release profiles were found together with notable antibacterial efficiency, showing the tunability of the properties for both the zein and its complexes with polysaccharides, together with their application potential in the biomedical field.

Research Progress of Protein-Based Bioactive Substance Nanoparticles

Bioactive substances exhibit various physiological activities-such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities-and have great potential for application in food, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals. However, the low solubility, chemical instability, and low bioavailability of bioactive substances limit their application in the food industry. Using nanotechnology to prepare protein nanoparticles to encapsulate and deliver active substances is a promising approach due to the abundance, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of proteins. Common protein-based nanocarriers include nano-emulsions, nano-gels, nanoparticles, and nano complexes. In this review, we give an overview of protein-based nanoparticle fabrication methods, highlighting their pros and cons. Additionally, we discuss the applications and current issues regarding the utilization of protein-based nanoparticles in the food industry. Finally, we provide perspectives on future development directions, with a focus on classifying bioactive substances and their functional properties.

Encapsulation of polyphenols in protein-based nanoparticles: Preparation, properties, and applications

Polyphenols have a variety of physiological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their applications are often limited because due to the instability of polyphenols. Encapsulation technologies can be employed to overcome these problems and increase the utilization of polyphenols. In this article, the utilization of protein-based nanoparticles for encapsulating polyphenols is reviewed due to their good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and functional attributes. Initially, the various kinds of animal and plant proteins available for forming protein nanoparticles are discussed, as well as the fabrication methods that can be used to assemble these nanoparticles. The molecular interaction mechanisms between proteins and polyphenols are then summarized. Applications of protein-based nanoparticles for encapsulating polyphenols are then discussed, including as nutrient delivery systems, in food packaging materials, and in the creation of functional foods. Finally, areas where further research is need on the development, characterization, and application of protein-based polyphenol-loaded nanoparticles are highlighted.

Metallic Nanoparticles and Core-Shell Nanosystems in the Treatment, Diagnosis, and Prevention of Parasitic Diseases

The usage of nanotechnology in the fight against parasitic diseases is in the early stages of development, but it brings hopes that this new field will provide a solution to target the early stages of parasitosis, compensate for the lack of vaccines for most parasitic diseases, and also provide new treatment options for diseases in which parasites show increased resistance to current drugs. The huge physicochemical diversity of nanomaterials developed so far, mainly for antibacterial and anti-cancer therapies, requires additional studies to determine their antiparasitic potential. When designing metallic nanoparticles (MeNPs) and specific nanosystems, such as complexes of MeNPs, with the shell of attached drugs, several physicochemical properties need to be considered. The most important are: size, shape, surface charge, type of surfactants that control their dispersion, and shell molecules that should assure specific molecular interaction with targeted molecules of parasites' cells. Therefore, it can be expected that the development of antiparasitic drugs using strategies provided by nanotechnology and the use of nanomaterials for diagnostic purposes will soon provide new and effective methods of antiparasitic therapy and effective diagnostic tools that will improve the prevention and reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by these diseases.

4D printed tri-segment nerve conduit using zein gel as the ink for repair of rat sciatic nerve large defect

Zein has enormous potential for application in biomedical field due to biodegradation and biocompatibility, we have recently prepared zein gel as a possible 3D printing ink. Our previous studies found that the pore structure in zein material can reduce early inflammation, promote the polarization of macrophages toward the M2 phenotype, and accelerate nerve regeneration. To further explore the role of zein in nerve repair, we used 4D printing technique to create nerve conduits with zein protein gel, and designed 2 types of tri-segment conduits with different degradation rates. Structural parts printed in support baths with higher water content show faster degradation rates than those printed in support baths with lower water content. The conduits that degraded quickly at both ends and slowly in the middle (CB75-CB40-CB75) and the conduits that degraded slowly at both ends and quickly in the middle (CB40-CB75-CB40) were 4D printed, respectively. Animal experiments suggest that the CB75-CB40-CB75 conduit is better for nerve repair, which may be because its degradation pattern can match to the pattern of nerve regeneration better. Our new strategy through 4D printing indicated that fine modulation in conduit degradation can affect efficacy of nerve repair significantly.

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.

Recent Progress in Proteins-Based Micelles as Drug Delivery Carriers

Proteins-derived polymeric micelles have gained attention and revolutionized the biomedical field. Proteins are considered a favorable choice for developing micelles because of their biocompatibility, harmlessness, greater blood circulation and solubilization of poorly soluble drugs. They exhibit great potential in drug delivery systems as capable of controlled loading, distribution and function of loaded agents to the targeted sites within the body. Protein micelles successfully cross biological barriers and can be incorporated into various formulation designs employed in biomedical applications. This review emphasizes the recent advances of protein-based polymeric micelles for drug delivery to targeted sites of various diseases. Most studied protein-based micelles such as soy, gelatin, casein and collagen are discussed in detail, and their applications are highlighted. Finally, the future perspectives and forthcoming challenges for protein-based polymeric micelles have been reviewed with anticipated further advances.

Sustainable Biodegradable Biopolymer-Based Nanoparticles for Healthcare Applications

Biopolymeric nanoparticles are gaining importance as nanocarriers for various biomedical applications, enabling long-term and controlled release at the target site. Since they are promising delivery systems for various therapeutic agents and offer advantageous properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and stability compared to various toxic metal nanoparticles, we decided to provide an overview on this topic. Therefore, the review focuses on the use of biopolymeric nanoparticles of animal, plant, algal, fungal, and bacterial origin as a sustainable material for potential use as drug delivery systems. A particular focus is on the encapsulation of many different therapeutic agents categorized as bioactive compounds, drugs, antibiotics, and other antimicrobial agents, extracts, and essential oils into protein- and polysaccharide-based nanocarriers. These show promising benefits for human health, especially for successful antimicrobial and anticancer activity. The review article, divided into protein-based and polysaccharide-based biopolymeric nanoparticles and further according to the origin of the biopolymer, enables the reader to select the appropriate biopolymeric nanoparticles more easily for the incorporation of the desired component. The latest research results from the last five years in the field of the successful production of biopolymeric nanoparticles loaded with various therapeutic agents for healthcare applications are included in this review.

Novel Development of Nanoparticles-A Promising Direction for Precise Tumor Management

Although the clinical application of nanoparticles is still limited by biological barriers and distribution, with the deepening of our understanding of nanoparticles over the past decades, people are gradually breaking through the previous limitations in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors, providing novel strategies for clinical decision makers. The transition of nanoparticles from passive targeting to active tumor-targeting by abundant surface-modified nanoparticles is also a development process of precision cancer treatment. Different particles can be used as targeted delivery tools of antitumor drugs. The mechanism of gold nanoparticles inducing apoptosis and cycle arrest of tumor cells has been discovered. Moreover, the unique photothermal effect of gold nanoparticles may be widely used in tumor therapy in the future, with less side effects on surrounding tissues. Lipid-based nanoparticles are expected to overcome the blood-brain barrier due to their special characteristics, while polymer-based nanoparticles show better biocompatibility and lower toxicity. In this paper, we discuss the development of nanoparticles in tumor therapy and the challenges that need to be addressed.

Functionalization of sweet potato leaf polyphenols by nanostructured composite β-lactoglobulin particles from molecular level complexations: A review

Sweet potato leaf polyphenols (SPLPs) have shown potential health benefits in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Nowadays, consumption of SPLPs from animal feeds to foodstuff is becoming a trend worldwide. However, the application of SPLPs is limited by their low bioavailability and stability. β-lactoglobulin (βlg), a highly regarded whey protein, can interact with SPLPs at the molecular level to form reversible or irreversible nanocomplexes (NCs). Consequently, the functional properties and final quality of SPLPs are directly modified. In this review, the composition and structure of SPLPs and βlg, as well as methods of molecular complexation and mechanisms of formation of SPLPsβlgNCs, are revisited. The modified functionalities of SPLPsβlgNCs, especially protein conformational structures, antioxidant activity, solubility, thermal stability, emulsifying, and gelling properties including allergenic potential, digestibility, and practical applications are discussed for SPLPs future development.

Zein-Based Nanoparticles as Oral Carriers for Insulin Delivery

Zein, the major storage protein from corn, has a GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) status and may be easily transformed into nanoparticles, offering significant payloads for protein materials without affecting their stability. In this work, the capability of bare zein nanoparticles (mucoadhesive) and nanoparticles coated with poly(ethylene glycol) (mucus-permeating) was evaluated as oral carriers of insulin (I-NP and I-NP-PEG, respectively). Both nanocarriers displayed sizes of around 270 nm, insulin payloads close to 80 µg/mg and did not induce cytotoxic effects in Caco-2 and HT29-MTX cell lines. In Caenorhabditis elegans, where insulin decreases fat storage, I-NP-PEG induced a higher reduction in the fat content than I-NP and slightly lower than the control (Orlistat). In diabetic rats, nanoparticles induced a potent hypoglycemic effect and achieved an oral bioavailability of 4.2% for I-NP and 10.2% for I-NP-PEG. This superior effect observed for I-NP-PEG would be related to their capability to diffuse through the mucus layer and reach the surface of enterocytes (where insulin would be released), whereas the mucoadhesive I-NP would remain trapped in the mucus, far away from the absorptive epithelium. In summary, PEG-coated zein nanoparticles may be an interesting device for the effective delivery of proteins through the oral route.

Investigation on Green Synthesis, Biocompatibility, and Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Prepared Using Cistus incanus

This paper describes the plant-mediated preparation of silver nanoparticles with aqueous extract and infusion of Cistus incanus leaves. To evaluate aqueous extract and infusion antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content the DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteau methods were utilized. The antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content of extract and infusion were equal to 85.97 ± 6.54 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry weight.; 10.76 ± 0.59 mg/mL and 12.65 ± 1.04 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry weight.; 3.10 ± 0.14 mg/mL, respectively. The formed nanoparticles displayed the characteristic absorption band in the 380-450 nm wavelength range. The average size of particles was in the 68.8-71.2 nm range. Morphology and phase composition analysis revealed the formation of spherical nanoparticles with a face-centred cubic structure. Immune compatibility tests of nanoparticles and plant extracts showed no activation of the THP1-XBlue™ monocyte. Cytotoxicity tests performed with L929 mice fibroblasts showed that nanoparticles should be utilized at a concentration of 16 ppm. The minimum inhibitory concentrations determined with the microdilution method for nanoparticles prepared with plant infusion for S. aureus and S. epidermidis were 2 ppm and 16 ppm, respectively.