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Bioactive Proteins and Peptides: Insights and Applications for Functional Foods and Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Proteins and Amino Acids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2025 | Viewed by 1033

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Interests: nutraceuticals; nutrition and health science; Drosophila melanogaster; immunobiology; biochemistry; neuroscience; molecular biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Science, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK
Interests: nutrition and health science; functional foods; pharmacological activity; natural products; drug discovery; bioactive peptides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing demand for proteins and the search for bioactive proteins that can enhance health have prompted significant interest in alternative protein sources. These sources range from animal-based proteins to those derived from plants, insects, beans, dairy, eggs, algae, etc. Beyond their nutritional value, these sources are rich in bioactive compounds and have the potential to prevent and manage various diseases.

Bioactive peptides, which are low-molecular-weight protein fragments, are key contributors to these health benefits. Produced through enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, digestion, or microbial activity, these peptides play a vital role in unlocking novel mechanisms that support health. However, the field of studying these peptides is still developing; there is much to explore regarding their structures, mechanisms of action, and practical applications. These gaps present exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary research, including structure–activity relationships, bioactive compound libraries, molecular simulations, and in vitro and in vivo studies.

We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which will focus on the role of bioactive peptides in functional foods and nutraceuticals. Original research and review articles exploring their potential in developing therapeutic and dietary solutions for human health are encouraged.

We look forward to your contributions to this dynamic and promising field.

Dr. Daniela Beghelli
Dr. Shaobo Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • bioactive peptides
  • functional foods
  • nutrition
  • peptidomics analysis
  • nutraceuticals
  • enzymatic hydrolysis
  • peptide structure–activity relationship

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 8221 KiB  
Article
Unraveling the Osteogenic Activity and Molecular Mechanism of an Antioxidant Collagen Peptide in MC3T3-E1 Cells
by Yali Wang, Yue Wang, Xiaoyan Zhuang, Yonghui Zhang, Baishan Fang and Yousi Fu
Nutrients 2025, 17(5), 824; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050824 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 597
Abstract
Background: Osteoporosis has become an inevitable health issue with global aging, and the current drug treatments often have adverse side effects, highlighting the need for safer and more effective therapies. Collagen-derived peptides are promising alternatives due to their favorable safety profile and [...] Read more.
Background: Osteoporosis has become an inevitable health issue with global aging, and the current drug treatments often have adverse side effects, highlighting the need for safer and more effective therapies. Collagen-derived peptides are promising alternatives due to their favorable safety profile and biological activity. This study aimed to investigate the osteogenic and anti-apoptotic properties of collagen peptide UU1 (GASGPMGPR) in addition to its antioxidant activity. Methods: The effects of UU1 were evaluated in MC3T3-E1 cells by assessing osteogenic markers, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Cyclin D1, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and Akt/β-catenin signaling. Western blot analysis quantified collagen I, osteocalcin, and phosphorylated Akt levels. Anti-apoptotic effects were measured via p-Akt levels and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Computational molecular docking was performed to explore the molecular mechanism of UU1 via its interaction with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and collagen-binding integrin. Results: UU1 treatment promoted cell differentiation, with elevated ALP, Cyclin D1, Runx2, and Akt/β-catenin signaling. Notably, at 0.025 mg/mL, UU1 upregulated the levels of collagen I, osteocalcin, and phosphorylated Akt by 2.14, 3.37, and 1.95 times, respectively, compared to the control. Additionally, UU1 exhibited anti-apoptotic effects, indicated by increased p-Akt levels and a reduced Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Molecular docking analysis suggested that UU1 could assist the dimerization of EGFR, facilitating downstream signaling transductions and activating collagen-binding integrin. Conclusions: These findings highlight UU1 as a multifunctional peptide with antioxidant, osteogenic, and anti-apoptotic properties, positioning it as a promising candidate for anti-osteoporosis applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Full article
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