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Nutrients
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Functional Nutrients in Disease Intervention and Health Promotion
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Functional Nutrients in Disease Intervention and Health Promotion

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2026 | Viewed by 1755

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hu Hou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, No. 1299, Sansha Road, Qingdao 266404, China
Interests: marine bioactive substances; proteins; bioactive peptides; polysaccharide; functional lipids; oligosaccharides; nutrients; structure-activity mechanism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue invites contributions on the roles of specific nutrients—functional proteins, peptides, carbohydrates, and lipids—in preventing, mitigating, and intervening in disease processes. We focus on elucidating their molecular mechanisms, structure–activity relationships, bioavailability, and clinical or preclinical evidence. Suitable article types include original research, reviews, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, and perspectives. Core topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Functional Proteins and Bioactive Peptides: Mechanisms of action of proteins and peptides against chronic metabolic diseases, gut disorders, immune dysregulation, and neurodegenerative conditions.
  • Functional Carbohydrates: Modulation of the gut microbiome by dietary fibers, prebiotics, and functional polysaccharides and its implications for host immunity and metabolic health.
  • Functional Lipids: Protective roles of polyunsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, sphingolipids, and phytosterols against inflammatory, cardiovascular, cognitive, and oncological disorders.
  • Cross‑Cutting and Interdisciplinary Research. Synergistic effects: Combined interventions using different nutrient classes. Nutritional omics: Nutrigenomic, epigenomic, or metabolomic studies linking nutrient intake to disease‑related pathways.

Dr. Hu Hou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • functional nutrients
  • disease prevention
  • bioactive compounds
  • molecular mechanisms
  • functional proteins
  • bioactive peptides
  • functional carbohydrates
  • functional lipids
  • gut microbiome
  • precision nutrition

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 4419 KB  
Article
Structural Characteristics of Theragra chalcogramma Milt Peptides and Their Anti-Fatigue Activity via AMPK/PGC-1αMediated Energy Metabolism Regulation in Exercised Mice
by Jiangjiang Zhang, Yulian Ding, Shanshan Zhang, Tingting Yang, Chaozhong Fan, Xiaoyun Zhu and Hu Hou
Nutrients 2026, 18(5), 805; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050805 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 582
Abstract
Objectives: While several physiological functions of milt peptides have been discovered, the structural characteristics of Theragra chalcogramma milt peptides (TMP) and their anti-fatigue mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: TMP was obtained by hydrolysis via flavor enzyme and alkaline protease, and its structural [...] Read more.
Objectives: While several physiological functions of milt peptides have been discovered, the structural characteristics of Theragra chalcogramma milt peptides (TMP) and their anti-fatigue mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: TMP was obtained by hydrolysis via flavor enzyme and alkaline protease, and its structural characteristics were analyzed. A mice model of exercise-induced fatigue was established. The anti-fatigue effect of TMP was evaluated by determining the main biochemical indices in the serum, liver, and skeletal muscle of mice. Additionally, qPCR analysis was conducted to investigate its regulatory effects on relevant energy metabolism pathways. Results: TMP contained 18.2% branched-chain amino acids, with those with molecular weights below 1000 Da accounting for 91.6%. A total of 154 characteristic peptides, such as VPFPR and LPPGR, were identified from TMP, among which 64% of the peptides contained glutamic acid, arginine, or aspartic acid. Molecular docking of potential bioactive peptides to AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) revealed binding energies from −9.1 to −5.5 kcal/mol. The exhaustive swimming test showed that oral administration of TMP prolonged the swimming duration. In the fatigue murine model, TMP reduced blood urea nitrogen and blood lactic acid levels while enhancing the content of muscle glycogen. Meanwhile, TMP significantly increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and reduced the accumulation of malondialdehyde, demonstrating antioxidant properties. Additionally, TMP significantly decreased creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase extravasation, thereby protecting muscle tissue, as corroborated by immunohistochemical analyses. Mechanistically, TMP upregulated AMPK and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) expression, promoting mitochondrial biogenesis via the AMPK/PGC-1α pathway. Conclusions: These findings suggest TMP has potential as a dietary supplement for alleviating physical fatigue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nutrients in Disease Intervention and Health Promotion)
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Review

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46 pages, 1287 KB  
Review
Micro- and Nanoplastics and Human Health: Role of Food Nutrients Targeting Nfe2l2 Gene in Diabetes
by Maria Concetta Scuto, Cinzia Lombardo, Nicolò Musso, Paolo Giuseppe Bonacci, Gabriella Lupo, Carmelina Daniela Anfuso and Angela Trovato Salinaro
Nutrients 2026, 18(4), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18040600 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 830
Abstract
A new category of polyphenolic compounds, like flavonoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, and others, referred to as food nutrients, may counteract the harmful effects of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) by enhancing cellular stress resilience response and overall human health. These compounds found in [...] Read more.
A new category of polyphenolic compounds, like flavonoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, and others, referred to as food nutrients, may counteract the harmful effects of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) by enhancing cellular stress resilience response and overall human health. These compounds found in functional food help mitigate the cellular damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress caused by MNP exposure, which can contribute to pathological conditions, including diabetes. Importantly, specific food nutrients are able to activate, at the minimum dose, the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2) to prevent or block MNP-induced damage. The Nfe2l2 gene encodes the Nrf2 transcription factor, acting as a master regulator of redox homeostasis by inducing antioxidant response element (ARE)-driven resilience genes, which in turn, promote the expression of detoxification enzymes like heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and shield cells from environmental damage and toxicity. Deregulation of the Nfe2l2 gene due to the accumulation of MNP pollutants may exacerbate the inflammatory conditions associated with diabetes and its chronic complications by rendering cells more sensitive to oxidative stress, apoptosis, and pyroptosis. Furthermore, epigenetic modifications influence gene regulation; chromatin remodeling directly impacts DNA accessibility, allowing or limiting transcription factor access to regulate gene expression. This mechanism may also play a pivotal role in the progression of oxidative stress-related diseases, as it modulates the Nrf2 pathway and the expression levels of its target genes. In contrast to the current literature, which has only addressed the pathological mechanisms induced by MNPs, this research explores, for the first time, how food nutrients interacting with the Nfe2l2 gene can combat or reverse the toxic effects of MNPs in cells, tissues, and organs. The goal is to improve health by attenuating MNP toxicity, which is influenced by individual genetic variations and cellular stress resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nutrients in Disease Intervention and Health Promotion)
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