Process Biochemistry最新文献

According to the World Health Organization, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Several bioactive molecules, such as peptides, have been developed to adjuvate in cancer therapy. Previous evidence showed that the peptides KLKKNL, MLKSKR, KKYRVF, FRTKKK, and SVVAKAPVGKR, identified from a protein fraction of S. hispanica seeds, may serve as adjuvant therapy based on their physicochemical properties. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of these peptides on cancer cells through in silico and in vitro assays. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to determine the interaction of the peptides with a cancer cell membrane model. Additionally, cell viability assays were performed to assess the effect of the peptides on MCF-7, Caco2, HepG2, DU145, HeLa, and hFB cell lines, and on erythrocytes. Both in silico and in vitro evaluations reported that KLKKNL, MLKSKR, KKYRVF, FRTKKK, and SVVAKAPVGKR interacted with the cancer cell membrane, significantly decreasing their viability. Molecular dynamics of KKYRVF exhibited a stable interaction with the cancer cell membrane model (-3.2 Kcal·mol-1), and experimentally showed selective cytotoxicity on the cancer cell lines. These findings support the continuous assessment of these peptides as adjuvants in cancer treatment for their potential as ingredients in functional foods or nutraceuticals.

Chimeric antigen receptor-Natural Killer-92 (CAR-NK-92) cell therapy has broad prospects as an effective cellular immunotherapy. Efficient CAR-NK-92 cell expansion ex vivo is crucial for its development and wide use. Unlike NK-92 cells, CAR-NK-92 cells need to maintain the stability of CAR expression during culture, besides keeping cell function. This work compared the growth and metabolism between NK-92 cells and CAR-NK-92 cells and found that the expansion efficiency of CAR-NK-92 cells was significantly lower than that of NK-92 cells. Meanwhile, the amino acid metabolism related to reducing agent production in CAR-NK-92 cells was weaker than in NK-92 cells, resulting in higher intracellular oxidation levels. The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was used to regulate the intracellular redox status of CAR-NK-92 cells. Under 1 mM NAC, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level of CAR-NK-92 cells was down-regulated, and the cell expansion ability was improved. Furthermore, the addition of NAC has increased the levels of GSH and NADPH in CAR-NK-92 cells, elevated GSH/GSSG ratio and NADPH/NADP⁺ ratio, enhanced the antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial function of cells, and promoted cell expansion. This study aims to promote CAR-NK-92 cell expansion ex vivo by regulating intracellular redox levels to facilitate its clinical application.

Based on the common step of alkaline extraction-acid precipitation, lignite treatment techniques have been developed to improve extraction efficiency and yield of humic acid (HA). This study explored the combination of bacterium Paenibacillus mucilaginosus (P.m) LT1906 and fungus Penicillium pimiteouiense (P.p) LL2205 strains for pre- and post-treatment of lignite collected from eastern Inner Mongol to enhance HA and fulvic acid (FA) yield and plant growth-promoting activity. The lignite was subjected to P.m followed by HNO3 treatment, HNO3 followed by P.p treatment, and a combination of P.m, HNO3 and P.p treatments, then performed by alkaline extraction-acid precipitation technique. The results indicated that P.m pretreatment increased HA yield by 12.47 %, while P.p posttreatment significantly enhanced FA yield by 13.37 %. Combined bacterial and fungal treatments notably improved the total yields of HA and FA by 19.12 %. Structural analysis showed that P.m pretreatment caused the deformation on the lignite surface and the complete lignite oxidation and leaching reactions, thereby increasing the production of HA, yet had no impact on the elemental composition or chemical structure of HA. P.p posttreatment introduced oxygencontaining functional groups and reduced aromatic components through oxidative depolymerization of lignite, leading to increased FA production and HA seed germination-promoting activity.

This research explores the remarkable impact of fermented cereals such as sorghum, maize, and wheat with Pediococcus acidilactici WS07, a strain isolated from Ethiopia's traditional borde beverage. The fermented cereal extracts were thoroughly evaluated for antioxidant activity, inhibition of pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase, metabolite identification through UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, and in vivo efficacy using the C. elegans model. The results revealed significant enhancements in the bioactive compounds of fermented cereals, demonstrating promising directions for obesity prevention strategies. Notably, the fermented sorghum extracts improved lipase (88.23 %) and α-glucosidase (85.62 %) inhibitory activities compared to its unfermented counterparts. The antioxidant properties of all fermented samples were confirmed through improved DPPH (67.77–71.86 %) and ABTS (59.91–65.49 %) scavenging activities. Fermentation also led to a notable increase in polyphenols and flavonoids, with detailed metabolite analysis revealing a dynamic shift in the composition of these bioactive compounds. Additionally, C. elegans indicates that fermented extracts extend lifespan, reduce lipid accumulation, and lower triglycerides, highlighting their potential as functional foods for health enhancement and obesity management. This study not only underscores the efficacy of P. acidilactici WS07 fermentation in transforming cereals into nutrient-rich functional foods but also provides insight into how microbial fermentation can unlock the health-promoting potential of traditional diets.

The optimization of the esterification of the free fatty acids (FFAs) from castor oil with neopentylglycol (NPG) catalyzed by the commercially immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme® TL IM) is herein reported. An 95 ± 3.3 % acid consumption was achieved at 55 °C, 6 wt% biocatalyst content and a substrates molar ratio (acid/alcohol)) of 2:1 after 24 h of reaction in a solvent-free medium. The addition of 1 M heptane seemed to lead to biocatalyst inactivation. The final product was composed of over 85 % of diesters of NPG, 5 % of monoesters of NPG and 5 % estolides (estolide number of 7), together to 2 % of unreacted FFAs. This product improved the feedstock viscosity index from 87.15 to 119.21 and the oxidative stability from 0.18 h to 24 h. It also exhibited a lower friction coefficient (0.0518 against 0.0592) and a lower wear scar diameter (117.99 against 136.78) than the commercial lubricant 15 W-50. Lipozyme® TL IM retained approximately half of its initial FFAs conversion after eight consecutive reaction cycles of 24 h.

Ready-to-eat sea cucumbers (RSC) are highly sensitive to quality deterioration during storage at room temperature. The study investigated the anti-deterioration effects of high-pressure steam sterilization (HPSS) and high-temperature boiling (HTB) on RSC, as well as the impact of secondary bonds on HTB-treated RSC. The results indicated that there were no significant changes in the secondary structure following thermal treatment. Compared to day 0, the maximum thermal denaturation temperature of collagen in the control (CT) group decreased by 24.49℃, while decreases in the HPSS and HTB groups were 8.53℃ and 9.8℃, respectively. This confirmed that the stabilization of RSC could be enhanced through HPSS and HTB treatment during storage. When hydrogen bonds are destroyed, the texture properties of HTB-treated RSC significantly decrease, with hardness values dropping to 3.65±0.514 N and 2.41±0.615 N, springiness to 7.52±1.342 mm and 7.69±0.066 mm, and chewiness to 19.7±1.211 mj and 16.6±1.837 mj, respectively. Furthermore, the degradation of collagen fibers due to the breaking of hydrogen bonds prior to storage was more pronounced. These findings indicate that hydrogen bonds play a crucial role in maintaining the storage stability of RSC. These results offer a theoretical foundation and technical assistance for the processing and storage of RSC.

To encourage the commercial utilization of A. venetum polyphenols as bio-colorant on textile, five different combinations of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were evaluated using a single-factor approach and the extraction of polyphenols from A. venetum leaves by ultrasound-assisted DESs was optimized. At the same time, the antioxidant activity of polyphenols prepared were investigated. The DESs composed of choline chloride and glycerol with a molar ratio of 1:2 and a water content of 20 % showed higher extraction performance than other DESs and traditional solvents (water, 60 % ethanol and 60 % methanol). With the most effective solvent the maximum yield 8.24 % of polyphenols was obtained under the optimal extraction conditions were as follows: the ratio of liquid volume (mL) to solid mass (g) is 49:1, extraction temperature of 77 ℃, and extraction time of 55 min. In addition, the polyphenols that have been separated and purified from the DESs extract exhibited antioxidant activities in three kinds of assays including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl stable free radical (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid free radicals (ABTS) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging activity. Therefore, this paper demonstrates that DESs are effective and environmentally friendly solvents extraction of antioxidant polyphenols pigments from the leaves of A. venetum.

Isolating high-performance phenol degradation microorganisms with high salt tolerance and studying their resistance mechanisms are urgent issues. To address these issues, a typical bacteria (Klebsiella sp. YP-1) with high salt and phenol tolerance was isolated. Its strategies for resisting high salt and high phenol stress were studied. The results indicated that Klebsiella sp. YP-1 was able to degrade 1000 mg/L phenol within 44 h at 70 g/L NaCl, which was faster than most microorganisms reported in the literature. Lyxose secreted by Klebsiella sp. YP-1 played an important role on assisting Klebsiella sp. YP-1 to resist stress. Lyxose increased phenol degradation rate by microorganisms due to its protection on cell membrane. Quantum chemical calculation results indicated that lyxose was more likely attacked by free radical than cell membrane. In addition, lyxose could bind to the cell membrane through hydrogen bonds. Thus, lyxose prevented reactive oxygen species from harming cell membranes. Moreover, lyxose has broad protective effect on microbial cell membranes. This study provides a novel idea for microorganisms to resist oxidative stresses.