Polyphenol-Lipid Interactions in Nutrition and Health

Dear Colleagues,

Plant polyphenols are key players in the modulation of oral sensory perception (e.g., astringency and bitterness) governing the consumer’s choices and adherence to healthy eating habits. Adherence to polyphenol-rich diets not only improves cardio- and vascular markers but also shapes the gut microbiota ecology and in turn the circulating metabolome with an impact on the host immune response.

While the modulation of oral astringency, bacterial growth and inflammatory response are governed by distinct molecular mechanisms, it is now known that lipid environments play a major role in polyphenol-mediated processes. Research with in vitro models has indicated that the extracellular biophysical interaction of polyphenols with membrane lipids alters the membrane’s biophysical properties with an impact not only on the permeability, transport and absorption of drugs and gases across the lipid bilayer but also on the conformation/activity of membrane proteins involved in the downstream intracellular signaling response. This is at the basis of the many pleiotropic effects (e.g., anti-inflammatory, anti-adhesive, anti-proliferative, anti-thrombotic, anti-bacterial, and anthelmintic) attributed to plant polyphenols.

As Guest Editors to this Special Issue on “Polyphenol-Lipid Interactions in Nutrition and Health”, we welcome the contribution of original research and review articles focused on the biophysical and biological interaction of polyphenols and their metabolites with membrane lipids either in membrane models (LUVs, GUVs, GPMVs) or cell models (cell/bacterial cultures) highlighting the poorly explored role of polyphenol-lipid interactions in mouthfeel perception, (neuro)inflammation and infection in the fields of human and animal nutrition/health. We also encourage papers utilizing computational chemistry, such as molecular dynamics simulation. As the stability and bioavailability of polyphenols can be influenced by their interactions with other macromolecules, such proteins and polysaccharides, especially during food processing and human metabolism, we also welcome the studies that focus on these aspects.

Dr. Ana Reis
Dr. Maarit Karonen
Guest Editors

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• antibiotic resistance
• animal feed
• mouthfeel perception
• bacterial growth
• blood brain barrier
• flavonoids
• hydrolysable tannins
• infection
• (neuro)inflammation
• microbial metabolites
• nitric oxide
• plant-based diets
• phytochemicals
• proanthocyanidins
• vascular health