Bioactive Peptides as Functional Food Ingredients

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
International Journal of Molecular Sciences ijms	4.9	8.1	2000	16.8 Days	CHF 2900
Current Issues in Molecular Biology cimb	2.8	2.9	1999	15.8 Days	CHF 2200

14 pages, 5699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Low Molecular Weight Peptides from Red Shrimp (Solenocera crassicornis) Head on Immune Response in Immunosuppressed Mice

by Rui Zhao, Shuoqi Jiang, Yunping Tang and Guofang Ding

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 10297; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241210297 - 18 Jun 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2001

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the immunoenhancement effects of low molecular weight peptides (SCHPs-F1) from red shrimp (Solenocera crassicornis) head against cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressed mice. ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected with 80 mg/kg CTX for 5 consecutive days to establish the [...] Read more.

This study aimed to investigate the immunoenhancement effects of low molecular weight peptides (SCHPs-F1) from red shrimp (Solenocera crassicornis) head against cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressed mice. ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected with 80 mg/kg CTX for 5 consecutive days to establish the immunosuppressive model and then intragastrically administered with SCHPs-F1 (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg) to investigate its improving effect on immunosuppressed mice and explore its potential mechanism using Western blot. SCHPs-F1 could effectively improve the spleen and thymus index, promoting serum cytokines and immunoglobulins production and upregulating the proliferative activity of splenic lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages of the CTX-treated mice. Moreover, SCHPs-F1 could significantly promote the expression levels of related proteins in the NF-κB and MAPK pathways in the spleen tissues. Overall, the results suggested that SCHPs-F1 could effectively ameliorate the immune deficiency caused by CTX and had the potential to explore as an immunomodulator in functional foods or dietary supplements. Full article

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11 pages, 1524 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Do Phenolic Acids Change the Secondary and Tertiary Structure of Gliadin? Studies with an Application of Spectroscopic Techniques

by Renata Welc, Rafał Luchowski, Konrad Kłosok, Wiesław I. Gruszecki and Agnieszka Nawrocka

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(11), 6053; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23116053 - 27 May 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2069

Abstract

The effect of the chemical structure of selected phenolic acids on the molecular organization of gliadins was investigated with the application of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technique, steady-state, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Hydroxybenzoic (4-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, vanillic, and syringic) and hydroxycinnamic (coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, [...] Read more.

The effect of the chemical structure of selected phenolic acids on the molecular organization of gliadins was investigated with the application of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technique, steady-state, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Hydroxybenzoic (4-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, vanillic, and syringic) and hydroxycinnamic (coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, sinapic) acids have been used as gliadins modifiers. The results indicated that hydroxybenzoic acids due to their smaller size incorporate into spaces between two polypeptide chains and form a hydrogen bond with them leading to aggregation. Additionally, syringic acids could incorporate into hydrophobic pockets of protein. Whereas hydroxycinnamic acids, due to their higher stiffness and larger size, separated polypeptide chains leading to gliadin disaggregation. These acids did not incorporate into hydrophobic pockets. Full article

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17 pages, 4860 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dioscin Alleviates Cisplatin-Induced Mucositis in Rats by Modulating Gut Microbiota, Enhancing Intestinal Barrier Function and Attenuating TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Cascade

by Shengzi Jin, Tongxu Guan, Shuang Wang, Mengxin Hu, Xingyao Liu, Siqi Huang and Yun Liu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(8), 4431; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23084431 - 17 Apr 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3487

Abstract

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy causes intestinal mucositis, which causes patients immense suffering and hinders the process of cancer treatment. Dioscin is a natural steroid saponin that exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Herein, we investigate the protective effect of dioscin on cisplatin induced mucositis in [...] Read more.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy causes intestinal mucositis, which causes patients immense suffering and hinders the process of cancer treatment. Dioscin is a natural steroid saponin that exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Herein, we investigate the protective effect of dioscin on cisplatin induced mucositis in rats from the perspective of gut microbiota and intestinal barrier. We established a rat model of intestinal mucositis by tail vein injection of cisplatin, and concurrently treated with dioscin oral administration. Parameters, such as body weight, diarrheal incidence, and D-Lactate levels, were assessed in order to evaluate the effects of dioscin on intestinal mucositis in rats. Furthermore, biological samples were collected for microscopic gut microbiota, intestinal integrity, and immune inflammation analyses to elucidate the protective mechanisms of dioscin on intestinal mucositis. The results revealed that administration of dioscin significantly attenuated clinical manifestations, histological injury and inflammation in mucositis rats. Besides this, dioscin markedly inhibited the gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by cisplatin. Meanwhile, dioscin partially alleviated junctions between ileum epithelial cells and increased mucus secretion. Moreover, dioscin effectively inhibited the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB signal transduction pathway and reduced the secretion of subsequent inflammatory mediators. These results suggested that dioscin effectively attenuated cisplatin-induced mucositis in part by modulating the gut microflora profile, maintaining ileum integrity and inhibiting the inflammatory response through the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Bioactive Peptides as Functional Food Ingredients)

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16 pages, 2631 KiB

Open AccessReview

Peptide Human Neutrophil Elastase Inhibitors from Natural Sources: An Overview

by Lorenza Marinaccio, Azzurra Stefanucci, Giuseppe Scioli, Alice Della Valle, Gokhan Zengin, Angelo Cichelli and Adriano Mollica

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(6), 2924; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23062924 - 8 Mar 2022

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 5316

Abstract

Elastases are a broad group of enzymes involved in the lysis of elastin, the main component of elastic fibres. They are produced and released in the human body, mainly by neutrophils and the pancreas. The imbalance between elastase activity and its endogenous inhibitors [...] Read more.

Elastases are a broad group of enzymes involved in the lysis of elastin, the main component of elastic fibres. They are produced and released in the human body, mainly by neutrophils and the pancreas. The imbalance between elastase activity and its endogenous inhibitors can cause different illnesses due to their excessive activity. The main aim of this review is to provide an overview of the latest advancements on the identification, structures and mechanisms of action of peptide human neutrophil elastase inhibitors isolated from natural sources, such as plants, animals, fungi, bacteria and sponges. The discovery of new elastase inhibitors could have a great impact on the pharmaceutical development of novel drugs through the optimization of the natural lead compounds. Bacteria produce mainly cyclic peptides, while animals provide for long and linear amino acid sequences. Despite their diverse natural sources, these elastase inhibitors show remarkable IC₅₀ values in a range from nM to μM values, thus representing an interesting starting point for the further development of potent bioactive compounds on human elastase enzymes. Full article

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30 pages, 1513 KiB

Open AccessReview

Bioactive Peptides: Synthesis, Sources, Applications, and Proposed Mechanisms of Action

by Mohsen Akbarian, Ali Khani, Sara Eghbalpour and Vladimir N. Uversky

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1445; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031445 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 322 | Viewed by 22182

Abstract

Bioactive peptides are a group of biological molecules that are normally buried in the structure of parent proteins and become active after the cleavage of the proteins. Another group of peptides is actively produced and found in many microorganisms and the body of [...] Read more.

Bioactive peptides are a group of biological molecules that are normally buried in the structure of parent proteins and become active after the cleavage of the proteins. Another group of peptides is actively produced and found in many microorganisms and the body of organisms. Today, many groups of bioactive peptides have been marketed chemically or recombinantly. This article reviews the various production methods and sources of these important/ubiquitous and useful biomolecules. Their applications, such as antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antioxidant activities, blood-lipid-lowering effect, opioid role, antiobesity, ability to bind minerals, antidiabetic, and antiaging effects, will be explored. The types of pathways proposed for bioactive applications will be in the next part of the article, and at the end, the future perspectives of bioactive peptides will be reviewed. Reading this article is recommended for researchers interested in various fields of physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, and nanotechnology and food industry professionals. Full article

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18 pages, 19823 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Nano-Antimicrobial Polymer Engineered with Chitosan Nanoparticles and Bioactive Peptides as Promising Food Biopreservative Effective against Foodborne Pathogen E. coli O157-Caused Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction and Inflammatory Responses

by Ming Kuang, Haitao Yu, Shiyan Qiao, Tao Huang, Jiaqi Zhang, Mingchao Sun, Xiumei Shi and Han Chen

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(24), 13580; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222413580 - 18 Dec 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3850

Abstract

For food quality and safety issues, the emergence of foodborne pathogenic bacteria has further accelerated the spread of antibiotic residues and drug resistance genes. To alleviate the harm caused by bacterial infections, it is necessary to seek novel antimicrobial agents as biopreservatives to [...] Read more.

For food quality and safety issues, the emergence of foodborne pathogenic bacteria has further accelerated the spread of antibiotic residues and drug resistance genes. To alleviate the harm caused by bacterial infections, it is necessary to seek novel antimicrobial agents as biopreservatives to prevent microbial spoilage. Nanoantimicrobials have been widely used in the direct treatment of bacterial infections. CNMs, formed by chitosan nanoparticles and peptides, are promising antibiotic alternatives for use as excellent new antibacterial drugs against pathogenic bacteria. Herein, the current study evaluated the function of CNMs in the protection of foodborne pathogen Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 infection using an intestinal epithelial cell model. Antibacterial activity assays indicated that CNMs exerted excellent bactericidal activity against E. coli O157. Assessment of the cytotoxicity risks toward cells demonstrated that 0.0125–0.02% of CNMs did not cause toxicity, but 0.4% of CNMs caused cytotoxicity. Additionally, CNMs did not induced genotoxicity either. CNMs protected against E. coli O157-induced barrier dysfunction by increasing transepithelial electrical resistance, decreasing lactate dehydrogenase and promoting the protein expression of occludin. CNMs were further found to ameliorate inflammation via modulation of tumor factor α, toll-like receptor 4 and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) expression via inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase and NF-κB activation and improved antioxidant activity. Taken together, CNMs could protect the host against E. coli O157-induced intestinal barrier damage and inflammation, showing that CNMs have great advantages and potential application as novel antimicrobial polymers in the food industry as food biopreservatives, bringing new hope for the treatment of bacterial infections. Full article

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12 pages, 2730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cordyceps militaris Immunomodulatory Protein Promotes the Phagocytic Ability of Macrophages through the TLR4-NF-κB Pathway

by Hong-Bo Fan, Yuan Zou, Qing Han, Qian-Wang Zheng, Ying-Li Liu, Li-Qiong Guo and Jun-Fang Lin

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(22), 12188; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222212188 - 11 Nov 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2888

Abstract

Enhancing the phagocytosis of immune cells with medicines provides benefits to the physiological balance by removing foreign pathogens and apoptotic cells. The fungal immunomodulatory protein (FIP) possessing various immunopotentiation functions may be a good candidate for such drugs. However, the effect and mechanism [...] Read more.

Enhancing the phagocytosis of immune cells with medicines provides benefits to the physiological balance by removing foreign pathogens and apoptotic cells. The fungal immunomodulatory protein (FIP) possessing various immunopotentiation functions may be a good candidate for such drugs. However, the effect and mechanism of FIP on the phagocytic activity is limitedly investigated. Therefore, the present study determined effects of Cordyceps militaris immunomodulatory protein (CMIMP), a novel FIP reported to induce cytokines secretion, on the phagocytosis using three different types of models, including microsphere, Escherichia Coli and Candida albicans. CMIMP not only significantly improved the phagocytic ability (p < 0.05), but also enhanced the bactericidal activity (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the cell size, especially the cytoplasm size, was markedly increased by CMIMP (p < 0.01), accompanied by an increase in the F-actin expression (p < 0.001). Further experiments displayed that CMIMP-induced phagocytosis, cell size and F-actin expression were alleviated by the specific inhibitor of TLR4 (p < 0.05). Similar results were observed in the treatment with the inhibitor of the NF-κB pathway (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it could be speculated that CMIMP promoted the phagocytic ability of macrophages through increasing F-actin expression and cell size in a TLR4-NF-κB pathway dependent way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Bioactive Peptides as Functional Food Ingredients)

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28 pages, 2542 KiB

Open AccessReview

Diverse Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Activities of Lactoferrins, Lactoferricins, and Other Lactoferrin-Derived Peptides

by Špela Gruden and Nataša Poklar Ulrih

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(20), 11264; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222011264 - 19 Oct 2021

Cited by 100 | Viewed by 7716

Abstract

Lactoferrins are an iron-binding glycoprotein that have important protective roles in the mammalian body through their numerous functions, which include antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. Among these, their antimicrobial activity has been the most studied, although the mechanism behind antimicrobial activities [...] Read more.

Lactoferrins are an iron-binding glycoprotein that have important protective roles in the mammalian body through their numerous functions, which include antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. Among these, their antimicrobial activity has been the most studied, although the mechanism behind antimicrobial activities remains to be elucidated. Thirty years ago, the first lactoferrin-derived peptide was isolated and showed higher antimicrobial activity than the native lactoferrin lactoferricin. Since then, numerous studies have investigated the antimicrobial potencies of lactoferrins, lactoferricins, and other lactoferrin-derived peptides to better understand their antimicrobial activities at the molecular level. This review defines the current antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiparasitic activities of lactoferrins, lactoferricins, and lactoferrin-derived peptides. The primary focus is on their different mechanisms of activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. The role of their structure, amino-acid composition, conformation, charge, hydrophobicity, and other factors that affect their mechanisms of antimicrobial activity are also reviewed. Full article

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25 pages, 9229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flaxseed Powder Attenuates Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis via Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Bile Acid Metabolism through Gut–Liver Axis

by Chao Yang, Min Wan, Dengfeng Xu, Da Pan, Hui Xia, Ligang Yang and Guiju Sun

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(19), 10858; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms221910858 - 8 Oct 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5184

Abstract

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is gradually becoming one of the most common and health-endangering diseases; therefore, it is very important to prevent the occurrence of NASH and prevent simple non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) from further developing into NASH. We fed mice a high-fat diet [...] Read more.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is gradually becoming one of the most common and health-endangering diseases; therefore, it is very important to prevent the occurrence of NASH and prevent simple non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) from further developing into NASH. We fed mice a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% fat) for 14 weeks to induce NAFL and then fed different doses of flaxseed powder (low (10%), middle (20%), and high (30%)) to the mice for 28 weeks. After the animal experiment, we analyzed fecal bile acid (BA) profiles of the HFD mice, flaxseed-fed (FLA-fed) mice, and control mice with a normal diet (10% fat) using a targeted metabolomics approach, and we analyzed the gut microbiota at the same time. We also investigated the mechanistic role of BAs in NASH and identified whether the altered BAs strongly bind to colonic FXR or TGR5. In the present study, we found that 28-week FLA treatment notably alleviated NASH development in NAFL model mice fed with an HFD, and the beneficial effects may be attributed to the regulation of and improvement in the gut flora- and microbiota-related BAs, which then activate the intestinal FXR-FGF15 and TGR5-NF-κB pathways. Our data indicate that FLA might be a promising functional food for preventing NASH through regulating microbiomes and BAs. Full article

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