Journal of Food Biochemistry最新文献

Studies indicate that the male environment and feeding patterns may impact the offspring. In this study, a paternal high-fat diet (HFD) model was established to investigate the lipid metabolism of male offspring. We found that HFD-F1 male mice exhibited abnormal hepatic gluconeogenesis in intraperitoneal pyruvate tolerance test (IPPTT) and increased lipid deposition in the liver. Additionally, the contents of triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in plasma and liver tissues were significantly elevated in HFD-F1 male mice. Transcriptome analysis revealed upregulation of genes involved in adipogenesis, such as Ddit4, and downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation-related genes like Nmrk1. Western blotting confirmed decreased SIRT3 expression, increased DDIT4 expression, and reduced AKT phosphorylation in the liver of HFD-F1 male mice. In AML12 cells, knockdown of Sirt3 led to increased DDIT4 expression and decreased AKT phosphorylation, while overexpression of Sirt3 had the opposite effect in vitro. Notably, H3K9Ac was significantly elevated in the liver of HFD-F1 male mice. Furthermore, changes in SIRT3 expression influenced the levels of H3K9Ac. ChIP-qPCR assays demonstrated a significant increase in the binding of H3K9Ac to the Ddit4 promoter in HFD-F1 male mice. In conclusion, our findings highlight the role of the SIRT3-H3K9Ac-DDIT4-AKT pathway in mediating abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism in male offspring of paternal HFD. These results provide new mechanistic insights into the epigenetic regulation and the molecular basis of lipid metabolism dysregulation and suggest potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

The present study was designed to examine the protective effects of alpha-glucosyl hesperidin (AGH) and procyanidin (PC) against testicular ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, which is a severe medical condition. Seven groups of male rats were divided into control, torsion/detorsion (T/D), T/D+50 mg/kg PC, T/D+25 mg/kg AGH, T/D+50 mg/kg AGH, T/D+50 mg/kg PC+25 mg/kg AGH, and T/D+50 mg/kg PC+50 mg/kg AGH. The evaluation of testicular tissue, sperm quality, oxidative status, gene activity, and fertility levels after T/D was conducted using various tests. The results showed that sperm motility, viability, and plasma membrane functionality, as well as total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and Bcl-2 gene expression levels, all increased after treatment with AGH or PC and coadministration. Additionally, the levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), Bax, and caspase-3 gene expression and abnormal morphology and DNA damage decreased compared to the T/D group. The study found that AGH and PC had a more substantial synergistic effect when used together to improve reproductive health following T/D damage.

Silk sericin, a byproduct of the silk industry, is typically discarded during degumming in the textile industry. However, recent studies have revealed that sericin possesses various biological activities, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative activities; lowers blood sugar; and promotes intestinal health. These activities can be attributed to the rich content of polar amino acids with hydroxyl groups, such as serine and threonine, in the secondary structure of sericin. Additionally, sericin contains eight essential amino acids necessary for the human body that humans cannot synthesize by their own, most get them through food. Thus, sericin is a potential food resource. The ability to utilize sericin as a source of bioactive peptides and amino acids from silk byproducts is very important for fully utilizing silk products, increasing the value of byproducts, and addressing the current low utilization rate of sericin in the food industry. This review provides a summary and analysis of the extraction methods, research activities, and current applications of sericin in the food industry. In addition, the study provides reference information for the effective utilization of surplus resources from silkworm cocoons and the full utilization of sericin.

Background: Spray-drying is a well-established method for producing free-flowing microencapsulated powders, especially for fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs) like A, D, and E. This process enhances the stability and protection of FSVs against environmental degradation.

Scope and Approach: This review highlights the application of spray-drying to encapsulate FSVs, focusing on their role in maintaining stability, controlled release, and protection under various conditions. Current challenges and future directions in spray-drying-assisted encapsulation of single and multiple FSVs (like vitamin K) are also discussed.

Key Findings and Conclusions: Optimizing the spray-drying technique with efficient encapsulating agents can remarkably improve the release profiles and yields of vitamin A, emphasizing tailored formulations for stability and efficacy. For vitamin D, the choice of carrier oil and wall materials has a significant impact on bioavailability, particularly in food fortification. Although there are challenges due to heat sensitivity, spray-drying is a versatile technique to encapsulate vitamin E with high efficiency rate, desirable particle characteristics, and effective release profiles. Comicroencapsulation with bioactive compounds further enhances the stability and bioavailability of vitamins, suggesting promising applications in food fortification and health supplementation. Comparative studies between microencapsulated FSVs and their free forms revealed improved physicochemical stability and extended-release rates in simulated gastrointestinal conditions, as well as an enhancement in nutrient retention in food products.

In recent years, skin health has become one of the leading causes of nonfatal disease burden due to the significance of the skin in the body and the ubiquitous presence of ultraviolet radiation that negatively affects skin conditions and causes skin photoaging. Bioactive peptides (BAP) have received much attention for their antiphotoaging activity in skin because they are natural, safe, and functional. Previous studies have demonstrated that specific amino acids or sequences, as well as some characteristic amino acids, are key to the antiphotoaging effects of BAP. Nevertheless, their inhibitory mechanisms and the association between their structures and abilities are not comprehensively documented. This paper summarizes the mechanisms of antiphotoaging peptides derived from different food processing by-products from the literature over the past 4 years, focusing on the structure–activity relationship based on the inhibitory mechanisms and amino acid compositions of BAP. In addition, the current challenges in obtaining and researching BAP are discussed, and future approaches are proposed. This review provides a theoretical basis for discovering more possible food-borne antiphotoaging peptides and exploring the correlation between the structures and effects of antiphotoaging peptides.

Honey is a natural sweet substance composed of major and minor constituents. The major honey constituents include sugars and water, while the minor components include organic acids, proteins, short peptides, enzymes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, minerals, vitamins, dicarbonyls, and hydrogen peroxide. It is evident that the constituents of honey affect each other such as the vice versa relation between methylglyoxal and hydrogen peroxide. This study investigated the relations between vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide, and dicarbonyl concentrations in Ziziphus and Acacia honey samples from diverse floral origins and altitudes in Saudi Arabia. Vitamin C and hydrogen peroxide were assessed by redox titrations, and the dicarbonyl molecules were measured using spectrophotometric method. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 21.0). The floral origin and the altitude had significant effects on all the studied parameters except vitamin C. Our findings indicated that when the mean concentration of vitamin C in the Ziziphus honey (576 m) (283.84 ± 116.54 mg/100 g) and the mean concentration of the dicarbonyl molecules (176.4 ± 98.06 mg/kg) were high, the hydrogen peroxide mean concentration was low (3.19 ± 0.18 g/kg). When the hydrogen peroxide concentration in the Ziziphus honey (113 m) was high (6.68 ± 0.23 g/kg), the concentration of vitamin C and the dicarbonyl molecules was low (194.48 ± 16.36 mg/100 g and 55.1 ± 38.09 g/kg, respectively). Thus, the present findings suggested that honey samples rich in dicarbonyl molecule concentration are expected to have a high amount of vitamin C and a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The medicinal and nutritional values of honey depend on its active enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions.

The current investigation optimized the impact of storage conditions on the phytochemical quality and free radical scavenging potential of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome using a response surface methodology. A bifactorial central composite design (CCD) was constructed at five levels of each of the storage temperatures (S_T: −80, −20, 0, 5, and 10°C) and storage time (S_t: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks) consisting of 29 experimental runs with four factorial and four axial points in triplicate and five center points. The rhizome samples were stored at various combinations of S_T and S_t as selected by CCD. The fresh and stored samples were processed to analyze their phytochemical composition and free radical scavenging potential. The stored rhizome samples showed comparatively lower values (p < 0.05) of phytochemical constituents and free radical scavenging potential than the fresh ones. The response surface optimization showed that the samples’ phytochemical content and free radical scavenging potential changed as a linear positive function of S_T and a linear negative function of S_t. A linear positive effect of S_T and a linear negative effect of S_t were observed on the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and tannin content, as well as 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, azino-bis-tetrazolium sulfate cation, and superoxide radical scavenging capacities of N. nucifera rhizome. The optimum levels of S_T and S_t for optimal response of the studied parameters were found to be 8.48°C and 2.0313 weeks, respectively. The study suggests avoiding long-term storage of plant-based foods at very low temperatures to preserve their phytochemical and antioxidant quality.

Major depressive disorder is a chronic, recurrent, and potentially life-threatening mental disorder that severely impacts both psychological and physiological health. Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus (AMB), a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible plant, is believed to be beneficial for mood regulation. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated its total saponins’ antidepressant effects, though the specific active substances and pathways remain unclear.We first established an in vitro model of hippocampal neuronal injury in mice induced by Glu and conducted preliminary screening of different polarity fractions of AMB’s total saponins, identifying spirostanol-type saponins (AMBN-90) with antidepressant potential. We then analyzed the components and used network pharmacology to predict the targets and pathways of AMBN-90’s antidepressant effects. Next, we established an in vivo mouse model of depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress and treated it with AMBN-90 for 6 weeks. Behavioral tests, hippocampal HE staining, and monoamine level measurements in the hippocampus were used to verify AMBN-90’s antidepressant effects. Subsequently, Western blotting and molecular docking methods were employed to preliminarily reveal AMBN-90’s potential antidepressant mechanisms. Results showed that AMBN-90 exhibited significant neuroprotective activity in vitro. In vivo, AMBN-90 significantly improved weight loss and depression-like behaviors in mice exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress, ameliorated hippocampal neuronal damage, and significantly increased levels of 5-HT, DA, and NE in the hippocampus. It also elevated brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and reduced neuronal apoptosis by activating the PKA–CREB–BDNF pathway. Molecular docking showed that components of AMBN-90 have superior affinity for the upstream proteins of the pathway, C-type G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). Our findings suggest that steroidal saponins in AMB may be developed as functional foods and drugs for alleviating depression.

Daylily flower buds are edible and medical homologous with health care functions and pharmaceutical values. However, they are about to open and deteriorate after harvest, owing to ripening and senescence. To obtain a theoretical reference for understanding the postharvest senescence mechanisms of daylily flower buds, the dynamic quality characteristics of daylily flower buds were explored by physiology, biochemistry, and widely targeted metabolomics. During the whole storage process, texture, total flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities indicated by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays appeared in declining trends. Based on widely targeted metabolomics, 518, 443, and 507 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were screened in the initial storage period (CK0 vs. CK2), mid-storage period (CK2 vs. CK4), and the end of storage (CK4 vs. CK6), respectively. A total of 224 common DAMs in CK0 vs. CK2, CK2 vs. CK4, and CK4 vs. CK6 were closely related to the ripening and senescence of daylily. A special focus was given to the interplay between the marker flavonoids and antioxidant activities. 11 flavonoid compounds showed positive correlation with the results of antioxidant capacity, including pelargonidin 3−O−beta−D−glucoside 5−O−(6−coumaroyl−beta−D−glucoside), typhaneoside, 5‴−O−feruloyl complanatoside B, 7−neohesperidosides, taxifolin, rutin (trihydrate), rutin (hydrate), rutin (hydrate), 3,5,7,3′,4′−pentahydroxyflavylium−3−O−beta−D−xylopyranosyl−(1−2)−beta−D−glucopyranoside, kuromanin (chloride), and neoeriocitrin, which have the potential to be biomarkers for antioxidant capacity and daylily quality. The study innovatively served as a valuable guide for the senescence progress and suggested potential markers for the quality characteristics of daylily flower buds.

Laurocerasus officinalis, a valuable medicinal plant, has rich flavonoid and anthocyanin content, providing benefits for various diseases. It also has ethnopharmacological uses such as diuretics and antidiabetics. Phenolic compounds exhibit their anticarcinogenic effects directly by repairing DNA damage and reducing chromosomal abnormalities. This study aims to investigate genotoxicity/antigenotoxicity and cytotoxicity/anticytotoxicity of L. officinalis extract in human peripheral lymphocytes by the methods of chromosomal aberration (CA), cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test, and mitotic index value. The doses of L. officinalis extract were determined as 125, 250, 500, and 1,000 μg/mL for the genotoxicity test, and mitomycin C (MMC) was added to induce DNA damage for the investigation of antigenotoxicity. In both applications (24 and 48 h), all doses, positive control (MMC) and negative control (sterile dH₂O), were used. In CA and CBMN tests for genotoxicity, no significant differences existed between all doses and the solvent control group (p > 0.05). In antigenotoxic activity, doses added with MMC were significantly lower than positive control (p < 0.05). For both the 24-hour and 48-hour periods, the percentage of abnormal cells and the CAs per cell ratio were significantly lower at all L. officinalis extract concentrations compared to the positive control. Additionally, as the treatment concentration increased, the CA ratio showed a decreasing trend. These differences were strongly dose-dependent compared to the positive control (r = −0.799). In all concentrations in the CBMN test, the frequencies were significantly lower than the positive control, and the higher the L. officinalis extract concentrations, the lower the micronuclei (MN). There was a strong dose-dependent relationship in MN formation compared to positive control (r = −0.925). Therefore, L. officinalis extract has no genotoxic effect on human lymphocytes and also has antigenotoxic and protective effect to the damage of MMC. In the mitotic index result, the L. officinalis extract was cytotoxic at only one dose (125 μg/mL) but anticytotoxic at all other doses against MMC exposure. In conclusion, consuming L. officinalis medicinally benefits and may protect against exposure to genotoxic agents.