Fabrication and Characterization of Chitosan-Pea Protein Isolate Nanoparticles.

Chitosan (CS) and pea protein isolate (PPI) were used as raw materials to prepare nanoparticles. The structures and functional properties of the nanoparticles with three ratios (1:1, 1:2 1:3, CS:PPI) were evaluated. The particle sizes of chitosan-pea protein isolate (CS-PPI) nanoparticles with the ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 were 802.95 ± 71.94, 807.10 ± 86.22, and 767.75 ± 110.10 nm, respectively, and there were no significant differences. Through the analysis of turbidity, endogenous fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the interaction between CS and PPI was mainly caused by electrostatic mutual attraction and hydrogen bonding. In terms of interface properties, the contact angles of nanoparticles with the ratio of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 were 119.2°, 112.3°, and 107.0°, respectively. The emulsifying activity (EAI) of the nanoparticles was related to the proportion of protein. The nanoparticle with the ratio of 1:1 had the highest potential and the best thermal stability. From the observation of their morphology by transmission electron microscopy, it could be seen that the nanoparticles with a ratio of 1:3 were the closest to spherical. This study provides a theoretical basis for the design of CS-PPI nanoparticles and their applications in promoting emulsion stabilization and the delivery of active substances using emulsions.

A network pharmacology approach to investigate the anticancer mechanism of cinobufagin against hepatocellular carcinoma via downregulation of EGFR-CDK2 signaling.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers with high mortality and poor prognosis, and the investigation on new approaches and effective drugs for HCC therapy is of great significance. In our study, we demonstrate that treatment with cinobufagin, a natural compound isolated from traditional chinese medicine Chansu, reduces proliferation and the colony formation capacity of the human hepatoma cells in vitro, in addition, cinobufagin induces mitotic arrest in human hepatoma cells. The results of a network pharmacology-based analysis show that EGFR, MAPK1, PTK2, CDK2, MAPK3, ESR1, CDK1, PRKCA, AR, and CSNK2A1 are the key targets involved in the anti-tumor activities of cinobufagin, additionally, several signaling pathways such as proteoglycans in cancer, pathways in cancer, HIF-1 signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathway are identified as the potential pathways involved in the inhibitory effects of cinobufagin against HCC. Furthermore, at the molecular level, we find that cinobufagin decreases EGFR expression and CDK2 activity in human hepatoma cells. Inhibition of EGFR or CDK2 expression could not only suppress the growth of tumor cells but also enhance the inhibitory effects of cinobufagin on the proliferative potential of human hepatoma cells. We also demonstrate that EGFR positively regulates CDK2 expression. Furthermore, EGFR inhibitor gefitinib or CDK2 inhibitor CVT-313 synergistically enhances anticancer effects of cinobufagin in human hepatoma cells. Taken together, these findings indicate that cinobufagin may exert antitumor effects by suppressing EGFR-CDK2 signaling, and our study suggests that cinobufagin may be a novel, promising anticancer agent for the treatment of HCC.

Pingyangmycin inhibits glycosaminoglycan sulphation in both cancer cells and tumour tissues.

Pingyangmycin is a clinically used anticancer drug and induces lung fibrosis in certain cancer patients. We previously reported that the negatively charged cell surface glycosaminoglycans are involved in the cellular uptake of the positively charged pingyangmycin. However, it is unknown if pingyangmycin affects glycosaminoglycan structures. Seven cell lines and a Lewis lung carcinoma-injected C57BL/6 mouse model were used to understand the cytotoxicity of pingyangmycin and its effect on glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. Stable isotope labelling coupled with LC/MS method was used to quantify glycosaminoglycan disaccharide compositions from pingyangmycin-treated and untreated cell and tumour samples. Pingyangmycin reduced both chondroitin sulphate and heparan sulphate sulphation in cancer cells and in tumours. The effect was persistent at different pingyangmycin concentrations and at different exposure times. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of pingyangmycin was decreased in the presence of soluble glycosaminoglycans, in the glycosaminoglycan-deficient cell line CHO745, and in the presence of chlorate. A flow cytometry-based cell surface FGF/FGFR/glycosaminoglycan binding assay also showed that pingyangmycin changed cell surface glycosaminoglycan structures. Changes in the structures of glycosaminoglycans may be related to fibrosis induced by pingyangmycin in certain cancer patients.

Electrocardiographic characteristics of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy (AbC) for newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) may develop cardiac electrophysiological abnormalities. In this study, their electrocardiography (ECG) features were analyzed. METHODS: Electronic health records of patients with a diagnosis of DLBCL and treated with AbC were reviewed retrospectively. Variables from ECGs obtained around anthracycline treatment were manually measured. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients (57% males). The incidence of abnormal ECG increased from 36.8% at baseline to 48.7%, of which only the prevalence of fragmented QRS (fQRS) significantly increased after AbC (15.8% to 28.9%, P = 0.041). In comparison with baseline ECG parameters, corrected QT interval (QTc) statistically prolonged (399.95 ± 27.11 ms to 415.07 ± 31.03 ms, P < 0.001), whilst QT dispersion (QTd) significantly (41.25 ± 16.15 ms to 36.70 ± 11.84 ms, P = 0.032) decreased. CONCLUSION: In DLBCL patients receiving anthracycline-based therapies, the main ECG abnormalities detected were fQRS and QTc prolongation. Regular ECG monitoring should be carefully performed on follow-up to detect cardiotoxicity during follow-up after treatment.

Molecular basis for Poria cocos mushroom polysaccharide used as an antitumour drug in China.

Poria cocos is an edible medicinal fungus known as "Fuling" in Chinese and has been used as a Chinese traditional medicine for more than two thousand years. Pharmacological studies reveal that polysaccharide is the most abundant substance in Poria cocos and has a wide range of biological activities including antitumour, immunomodulation, anti-inflammation, antioxidation, anti-ageing, antihepatitis, antidiabetics and anti-haemorrhagic fever effects. As a result, "Poria cocos polysaccharide oral solution" was developed and sold as an over-the-counter health supplement since 1970s. In 2015, "Polysaccharidum of Poria cocos oral solution" was approved as a drug by Chinese Food and Drug Administration for treating multiple types of cancers, hepatitis and other diseases alone or during chemo- or radiation therapy for patients with cancer. In this article, biochemical, preclinical and clinical studies of Poria cocos polysaccharide from 72 independent studies during the past 46 years (1970-2016) based on PubMed, VIP (Chongqing VIP Chinese Scientific Journals Database), CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and Wanfang database searches are summarized. The structure, pharmacological effects, clinical efficacy, immunobalancing molecular mechanism and toxicity of Poria cocos polysaccharide are deliberated to provide a general picture of Poria cocos polysaccharide as a clinically used antitumour drug.

Antiapoptosis effect of ZiShen prescription to increase learning and memory abilities of compound Alzheimer's disease model rats.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized progressive memory loss and cognitive impairment. In previous studies, the activities of extracts of Chinese medicinal herbs to treat brain function disorders caused by AD have already been reported. ZiShen prescription was a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound prescription reformed for AD disease based on the basic theory of TCM. To explore the effect of ZiShen (kidney-reinforcing) prescription on the learning and memory abilities, we made compound AD model rats by injecting d-galactose and ibotenic acid into the abdominal cavity to damage both sides of the nucleus basalis of Meynert with ibotenic acid. The trisected Y-maze was used to test the learning and memory abilities of AD model rats before and after treatment by ZiShen prescription and Piracetam. To investigate the mechanism of ZiShen prescription, the expressions of apoptosis-related genes (Bcl-2/Bax) in the cortex and hippocampus of compound AD model rats were detected in the cortex and hippocampus. The results show that, comparing with Piracetam, a clinical medicine to promote the thinking and memory for AD patients, ZiShen prescription significantly increased the learning and memory abilities of the compound AD model rats. After the treatment of ZiShen prescription, the expression of Bcl-2 was upregulated, along with a downregulation of Bax in the cortex and hippocampus of compound AD model rats. And the results indicated that the clinical benefits of ZiShen prescription were slightly better than Piracetam. Still, further well-designed studies are required to ensure the clinical effect of ZiShen.

Genistein Enhances or Reduces Glycosaminoglycan Quantity in a Cell Type-Specific Manner.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Genistein is a natural isoflavone enriched in soybeans. It has beneficial effects for patients with mucopolysaccharidose type III through inhibiting glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. However, other studies indicate that genistein does not always inhibit glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. METHODS: To understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, CHOK1, CHO3.1, CHO3.3, and HCT116 cells were treated with genistein and the monosaccharide compositions and quantity of all glycans from the cell lysate were measured after thorough acid hydrolysis followed by HPLC analysis. In addition, the glycosaminoglycan disaccharide compositions were obtained by stable isotope labeling coupled with LC/MS analysis. RESULTS: Genistein treatment reduced the amount of glycans but increased the amount of glycosaminoglycans in HCT116 cells. In contrast, genistein treatment reduced both glycan and glycosaminoglycan quantities in CHOK1, CHO3.1, and CHO3.3 cells in addition to differential changes in glycosaminoglycan disaccharide compositions. CONCLUSION: Genistein treatment reduced overall glycan quantity but glycosaminoglycan quantities were either increased or decreased in a cell type-dependent manner.

Isolation and Characterization of a Chinese Hamster Ovary Heparan Sulfate Cell Mutant Defective in Both Met Receptor Binding and Hepatocyte Growth Factor NK1/Met Signaling.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The up-regulation of hepatocyte growth factor/receptor, HGF/Met, signal transduction is observed in most of human cancers. Specific heparan sulfate structures enhance the HGF/Met signaling at both cell and animal-based model systems. Biochemical studies indicate that heparan sulfate interacts with HGF and a natural occurring splicing variant NK1 of HGF with similar affinity. However, it is currently unknown if cell surface heparan sulfate binds to Met at physiological conditions and if specific cell surface heparan sulfate structures are required for effective HGF/Met or NK1/Met signaling. METHODS: An established flow sorting strategy was used to isolate a soluble Met recombinant protein-binding positive or negative CHO cell clones different only in specific heparan sulfate structures. The cell surface bindings were imaged by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry analysis. Glucosamine vs. galactosamine contents from media-, cell surface-, and cell association glycosaminoglycans were quantified by HPLC. 35S-sulfate labeled glycosaminoglycans were characterized by anion exchange and size-exclusion HPLC. Heparan sulfate disaccharide compositions were determined by HPLC-MS analysis. Western blot analyses of MAPK-p42/44 were used to monitor HGF- and NK1-facillated Met signaling. RESULTS: CHO-Positive but not CHO-Negative cell surface heparan sulfate bound to Met recombinant protein and HGF/NK1 further promoted the binding. Overall glycosaminoglycan analysis results indicated that the CHO-Negative cells had reduced amount of heparan sulfate, shorter chain length, and less 6-O-sulfated disaccharides compared to that of CHO-Positive cells. Moreover, CHO-Negative cells were defective in NK1/Met but not HGF/Met signaling. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that soluble Met recombinant protein bound to cell surface HS at physiological conditions and a Met /HGF or NK1/HS ternary signaling complex might be involved in Met signaling. Shorter HS chains and reduced 6-O-sulfation might be responsible for reduced Met binding and the diminished NK1-initiated signaling in the CHO-Negative cells. The unique CHO-Positive and CHO-Negative cell clones established in current study should be effective tools for studying the role of specific glycosaminoglycan structures in regulating Met signaling. Such knowledge should be useful in developing glycosaminoglycan-based compounds that target HGF/Met signaling.

Heparan Sulfate and Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans Are Targeted by Bleomycin in Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bleomycin is a clinically used anti-cancer drug that produces DNA breaks once inside of cells. However, bleomycin is a positively charged molecule and cannot get inside of cells by free diffusion. We previously reported that the cell surface negatively charged glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) may be involved in the cellular uptake of bleomycin. We also observed that a class of positively charged small molecules has Golgi localization once inside of the cells. We therefore hypothesized that bleomycin might perturb Golgi-operated GAG biosynthesis. METHODS: We used stable isotope labeling coupled with LC/MS analysis of GAG disaccharides simultaneously from bleomycin-treated and non-treated cancer cells. To further understand the cytotoxicity of bleomycin and its relationship to GAGs, we used sodium chlorate to inhibit GAG sulfation and commercially available GAGs to compete for cell surface GAG/bleomycin interactions in seven cell lines including CHO745 defective in both heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate biosynthesis. RESULTS: we discovered that heparan sulfate GAG was significantly undersulfated and the quantity and disaccharide compositions of GAGs were changed in bleomycin-treated cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. We revealed that bleomycin-induced cytotoxicity was directly related to cell surface GAGs. CONCLUSION: GAGs were targeted by bleomycin both at cell surface and at Golgi. Thus, GAGs might be the biological relevant molecules that might be related to the bleomycin-induced fibrosis in certain cancer patients, a severe side effect with largely unknown molecular mechanism.

Pingyangmycin and Bleomycin Share the Same Cytotoxicity Pathway.

Pingyangmycin is an anticancer drug known as bleomycin A5 (A5), discovered in the Pingyang County of Zhejiang Province of China. Bleomycin (BLM) is a mixture of mainly two compounds (A2 and B2), which is on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. Both BLM and A5 are hydrophilic molecules that depend on transporters or endocytosis receptors to get inside of cells. Once inside, the anticancer activities rely on their abilities to produce DNA breaks, thus leading to cell death. Interestingly, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of BLMs in different cancer cell lines varies from nM to µM ranges. Different cellular uptake, DNA repair rate, and/or increased drug detoxification might be some of the reasons; however, the molecules and signaling pathways responsible for these processes are largely unknown. In the current study, we purified the A2 and B2 from the BLM and tested the cytotoxicities and the molecular mechanisms of each individual compound or in combination with six different cell lines, including a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line defective in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. Our data suggested that glycosaminoglycans might be involved in the cellular uptake of BLMs. Moreover, both BLM and A5 shared similar signaling pathways and are involved in cell cycle and apoptosis in different cancer cell lines.

Modification of pea dietary fibre by superfine grinding assisted enzymatic modification: Structural, physicochemical, and functional properties.

Using the optimal extraction conditions determined by response surface optimisation, the yield of soluble dietary fibre (SDF) modified by superfine grinding combined with enzymatic modification (SE-SDF) was significantly increased from 4.45 % ±â€¯0.21 % (natural pea dietary fibre) to 16.24 % ±â€¯0.09 %. To further analyse the modification mechanism, the effects of three modification methods-superfine grinding (S), enzymatic modification (E), and superfine grinding combined with enzymatic modification (SE)-on the structural, physicochemical, and functional properties of pea SDF were studied. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy results showed that all four SDFs had α- and ß-glycosidic bonds. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy results showed that the crystal structure of SE-SDF was most severely damaged. The Congo red experimental results showed that none of the four SDFs had a triple-helical structure. Scanning electron microscopy showed that SE-SDF had a looser structure and an obvious honeycomb structure than other SDFs. Thermogravimetric analysis, particle size, and zeta potential results showed that SE-SDF had the highest thermal stability, smallest particle size, and excellent solution stability compared with the other samples. The hydration properties showed that SE-SDF had the best water solubility capacity and water-holding capacity. All three modification methods (S, E, and SE) enhanced the sodium cholate adsorption capacity, cholesterol adsorption capacity, cation exchange capacity, and nitrite ion adsorption capacity of pea SDF. Among them, the SE modification had the greatest effect. This study showed that superfine grinding combined with enzymatic modification can effectively improve the SDF content and the physicochemical and functional properties of pea dietary fibre, which gives pea dietary fibre great application potential in functional foods.

Physicochemical properties and in vitro digestion behavior of emulsion micro-gels stabilized by κ-carrageenan and whey protein: Effects of sodium alginate addition.

Emulsion micro-gels exhibit significant potential as functional ingredients for modifying food texture, replacing saturated fats, or serving as templates for the controlled release of bioactive compounds. Structural design principles are being applied more frequently to develop innovative emulsion micro-gels. In this paper, whey protein concentrate (WPC), κ-carrageenan and sodium alginate (SA) were utilized for preparing emulsion micro-gels. To reveal the regulation mechanism of the structural and physicochemical properties of emulsion micro-gels on lipid digestion, the influence of SA additions on the structural, physicochemical properties and in vitro digestion behavior of κ-carrageenan/WPC-based emulsion micro-gel were explored. The FTIR results suggest that the emulsion micro-gels are formed through non-covalent interactions. With the increase of SA addition (from 0.7 g/100 mL to 1.0 g/100 mL), the decreased mean droplet size, the increased hardness, elasticity indexes, and water holding capacity, the reduced the related peak times all indicated that the emulsion micro-gels exhibit enhanced rheological, stability, and mechanical properties. It can be concluded from the microstructure, particle size distribution of the emulsion micro-gels during simulated digestion and free fatty acid release that both κ-carrageenan/WPC-based emulsion micro-gel and κ-carrageenan/WPC/SA-based emulsion micro-gel can inhibit lipid digestion due to the ability to maintain structural stability and hindering the penetration of bile salts and lipase through the hydrogel networks. And the ability is regulated by the binding properties the gel matrix and oil droplets, which determine the structure and physicochemical properties of emulsion micro-gels. The research suggested that the structure of emulsion micro-gels can be modified to produce various lipid digestion profiles. It may be significant for certain practical application in the design of low-fat food and controlled release of bioactive agents.

Fabricating Pea Protein Micro-Gel-Stabilized Pickering Emulsion as Saturated Fat Replacement in Ice Cream.

Unsaturated fat replacement should be used to reduce the use of saturated fat and trans fatty acids in the diet. In this study, pea protein micro-gels (PPMs) with different structures were prepared by microparticulation at pH 4.0-7.0 and named as PPM (pH 4.0), PPM (pH 4.5), PPM (pH 5.0), PPM (pH 5.5), PPM (pH 6.0), PPM (pH 6.5), and PPM (pH 7.0). Pea protein was used as a control to evaluate the structure and interfacial properties of PPMs by particle size distribution, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), free sulfhydryl group content, and emulsifying property. PPM (pH 7.0) was suitable for application in O/W emulsion stabilization because of its proper particle size, more flexible structure, high emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability index (ESI). The Pickering emulsion stabilized by PPM (pH 7.0) had a uniform oil droplet distribution and similar rheological properties to cream, so it can be used as a saturated fat replacement in the manufacture of ice cream. Saturated fat was partially replaced at different levels of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%, which were respectively named as PR0, PR20, PR40, PR60, PR80, and PR100. The rheological properties, physicochemical indexes, and sensory properties of low-saturated fat ice cream show that PPM (pH 7.0)-stabilized emulsion can be used to substitute 60% cream to manufacture low-saturated fat ice cream that has high structural stability and similar melting properties, overrun, and sensory properties to PR0. The article shows that it is feasible to prepare low-saturated fat ice cream with PPM (pH 7.0)-stabilized Pickering emulsion, which can not only maintain the fatty acid profile of the corn oil used, but also possess a solid-like structure. Its application is of positive significance for the development of nutritious and healthy foods and the reduction of chronic disease incidence.

Rattan Pepper Polysaccharide Regulates DSS-Induced Intestinal Inflammation and Depressive Behavior through Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent disease. Increasing evidence suggests a higher incidence of depression in IBD patients compared with the general population, but the underlying mechanism remains uncertain. Rattan pepper polysaccharide (RPP) is an important active ingredient of rattan pepper, yet its effects and mechanisms on intestinal inflammation and depression-like behavior remain largely unknown. This study aims to investigate the ameliorating effect of RPP on dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced intestinal inflammation and depression-like behavior as well as to reveal its mechanism. Our results indicate that RPP effectively ameliorated intestinal microbiota imbalance and metabolic disorders of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bile acids in mice with DSS-induced inflammation, contributing to the recovery of intestinal Th17/Treg homeostasis. Importantly, RPP effectively alleviated brain inflammation caused by intestinal inflammatory factors entering the brain through the blood-brain barrier. This effect may be attributed to the inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, which alleviates neuroinflammation, and the activation of the CREB/BDNF signaling pathway, which improves synaptic dysfunction. Therefore, our findings suggest that RPP may play a role in alleviating DSS-induced gut inflammation and depression-like behavior through the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Synbiotics containing sea buckthorn polysaccharides ameliorate DSS-induced colitis in mice via regulating Th17/Treg homeostasis through intestinal microbiota and their production of BA metabolites and SCFAs.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic condition whose incidence has been rising globally. Synbiotic (SYN) is an effective means of preventing IBD. This study investigated the preventive effects and potential biological mechanisms of SYN (Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and sea buckthorn polysaccharides) on DSS-induced colitis in mice. The results indicated that dietary supplementation with SYN has a significant improvement effect on DSS mice. SYN ameliorated disease activity index (DAI), colon length, and intestinal barrier permeability in mice. In addition, RT-qPCR results indicated that after SYN intervention, the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-17F) and transcription factor RORγt secreted by Th17 cells were significantly reduced, and the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10 and TGF-ß) and transcription factor Foxp3 secreted by Treg cells were robustly increased. 16S rDNA sequencing analysis revealed that key intestinal microbiota related to Th17/Treg balance (Ligilactobacillus, Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Akkermansia) was significantly enriched. At the same time, a significant increase in microbial metabolites SCFAs and BAs was observed. We speculate that SYN may regulate the Th17/Treg balance by restructuring the structure and composition of the intestinal microbiota, thereby mitigating DSS-induced colitis.

Raspberry Ketone Prevents LPS-Induced Depression-Like Behaviors in Mice by Inhibiting TLR-4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway via the Gut-Brain Axis.

SCOPE: Depression, a prevalent mental disorder, has significantly impacted the lives of 350 million people, yet it holds promise for amelioration through food-derived phenolics. Raspberries, renowned globally for their delectable flavor, harbor a phenolic compound known as raspberry ketone (RK). However, the impact of RK on depressive symptoms remains ambiguous. This study aims to investigate the impact of RK on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depressed mice and elucidates its potential mechanisms, focusing on the gut-brain axis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Through behavioral tests, RK exerts a notable preventive effect on LPS-induced depression-like behaviors in mice. RK proves capable of attenuating gut inflammation, repairing gut barrier impairment, modulating the composition of the gut microbiome (Muribaculaceae, Streptococcus, Lachnospiraceae, and Akkermansia), and promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids. Furthermore, RK alleviates neuroinflammation by suppressing the TLR-4/NF-κB pathway and bolsters synaptic function by elevating levels of neurotrophic factors and synapse-associated proteins. CONCLUSION: The current study provides compelling evidence that RK effectively inhibits the TLR-4/NF-κB pathway via the gut-brain axis, leading to the improvement of LPS-induced depression-like behaviors in mice. This study addresses the research gap in understanding the antidepressant effects of RK and illuminates the potential of utilizing RK as a functional food for preventing depression.

Improving the storage quality and suppressing off-flavor generation of winter jujube by precise micro-perforated MAP.

Introduction: Traditional modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) cannot meet the preservation requirements of winter jujube, and the high respiration rate characteristics of winter jujube will produce an atmosphere component with high CO2 concentration in traditional MAP. Micro-perforated MAP is suitable for the preservation of winter jujube due to its high permeability, which can effectively remove excess CO2 and supply O2. In this study, a microporous film preservation system that can be quickly applied to winter jujube was developed, namely PMP-MAP (precise micro-perforated modified atmosphere packaging). An experiment was designed to store winter jujube in PMP-MAP at 20°C and 2°C, respectively. The quality, aroma and antioxidant capacity, etc. of winter jujube at the storage time were determined. Methods: In this study, the optimal micropore area required for microporous film packaging at different temperatures is first determined. To ensure the best perforation effect, the effects of various factors on perforation efficiency were studied. The gas composition within the package was predicted using the gas prediction equation to ensure that the gas composition of the perforated package achieved the desired target. Finally, storage experiments were designed to determine the quality index of winter jujube, including firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acid, reddening, and decay incidence. In addition, sensory evaluation, aroma and antioxidant capacity were also determined. Finally, the preservation effect of PMP-MAP for winter jujube was evaluated by combining the above indicators. Results and discussion: At the end of storage, PMP-MAP reduced the respiration rate of winter jujube, which contributed to the preservation of high total soluble solids and titratable acid levels, and delayed the reddening and decay rate of winter jujube. In addition, PMP-MAP maintained the antioxidant capacity and flavor of winter jujube while inhibiting the occurrence of alcoholic fermentation and off-flavors. This can be attributed to the effective gas exchange facilitated by PMP-MAP, thereby preventing anaerobic stress and quality degradation. Therefore, the PMP-MAP approach is an efficient method for the storage of winter jujube.

Antifungal mechanism of phenyllactic acid against Mucor investigated through proteomic analysis.

The primary inhibitory targets of phenyllactic acid (PLA, including D-PLA and L-PLA) on Mucor were investigated using Mucor racemosus LD3.0026 isolated from naturally spoiled cherry, as an indicator fungi. The results demonstrated that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PLA against Mucor was 12.5 mmol·L-1. Results showed that the growing cells at the tip of the Mucor were not visibly deformed, and there was no damage to the cell wall following PLA treatment; however, PLA damaged the cell membrane and internal structure. The results of isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) indicated that the Mucor mitochondrial respiratory chain may be the target of PLA, potentially inhibiting the energy supply of Mucor. These results indicate that the antifungal mechanism of PLA against mold is independent of its molecular configuration. The growth of Mucor is suppressed by PLA, which destroys the organelle structure in the mycelium and inhibits energy metabolism.

Identifying the intervention mechanisms of polydatin in hyperuricemia model rats by using UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectroscopy metabonomic approach.

Introduction: Polydatin is a biologically active compound found in mulberries, grapes, and Polygonum cuspidatum, and it has uric acid-lowering effects. However, its urate-lowering effects and the molecular mechanisms underlying its function require further study. Methods: In this study, a hyperuricemic rat model was established to assess the effects of polydatin on uric acid levels. The body weight, serum biochemical indicators, and histopathological parameters of the rats were evaluated. A UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach was applied to explore the potential mechanisms of action after polydatin treatment. Results: The results showed a trend of recovery in biochemical indicators after polydatin administration. In addition, polydatin could alleviate damage to the liver and kidneys. Untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed clear differences between hyperuricemic rats and the control group. Fourteen potential biomarkers were identified in the model group using principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. These differential metabolites are involved in amino acid, lipid, and energy metabolism. Of all the metabolites, the levels of L-phenylalanine, L-leucine, O-butanoylcarnitine, and dihydroxyacetone phosphate decreased, and the levels of L-tyrosine, sphinganine, and phytosphingosine significantly increased in hyperuricemic rats. After the administration of polydatin, the 14 differential metabolites could be inverted to varying degrees by regulating the perturbed metabolic pathway. Conclusion: This study has the potential to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of hyperuricemia and demonstrate that polydatin is a promising potential adjuvant for lowering uric acid levels and alleviating hyperuricemia-related diseases.