International Journal of Biological Macromolecules最新文献

The purpose of this study was to investigate the progress of glycation reaction reactions by conventional heating and ohmic heating (OH) treatment, and the effect of different electric field intensities on the structure, physical and chemical and functional properties of glycosylated proteins. The findings demonstrated that OH treatment was more efficacious than conventional heating in reducing the free amino group and increasing the absorbance at 420 nm. Concurrently, the α-helix and β-sheet content of soy protein isolate (SPI)-chitosan (CS) complexes exhibited a reduction to 18.01 % and 28.67 %, respectively, while the UV absorption peak demonstrated an increase in conjunction with the escalation of electric field intensity. When the electric field intensity was 6 V/cm, the emulsification activity index and emulsion stability index of SPI-CS complexes were found to be 95.52 m²/g and 55.60 min, respectively. The foaming capacity and foaming stability were found to be 148.33 % and 115.59 % respectively, while the solubility was also up to 91.37 %. Additionally, the air/water interface properties demonstrated a notable enhancement. The functional properties of the complexes were demonstrably enhanced following the application of an OH treatment. The aforementioned statement provided a theoretical foundation for the implementation of OH treatment.

This study aimed to investigate the antitumor activity of galactomannan extracted from Cassia grandis seeds (GCg) against colorectal cancer cells using both experimental and computational approaches. Galactomannan was extracted from C. grandis seeds and prepared into solutions with varying concentrations. The cytotoxicity of these solutions was tested on HT-29 and HCT-116 colorectal cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. Additionally, computational evaluations, including molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, were performed to explore the potential binding interactions of GCg with cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2). The experimental results demonstrated that GCg significantly inhibited the proliferation of HT-29 cells, especially at concentrations of 5 mg/mL. On the other hand, no concentration inhibited >30 % of HCT-116 cells. Computational analysis revealed that GCg could bind to the ATP-binding site of CDK2, promoting the inactive DFG-out conformation, similar to the known inhibitor K03861. This interaction suggests a mechanism through which GCg may exert its anticancer effects. GCg exhibits significant cytotoxic activity against HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, likely through the inhibition of CDK2; however, its efficacy against HCT-116 cells is limited, possibly due to structural differences in the molecular targets. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no studies have explored the applications of GCg in cancers, particularly colorectal ones. Further studies are needed to explore the antimetastatic effects and potential clinical applications of GCg in colorectal cancer treatment.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is an aliphatic polyester, which is primarily synthesized from renewable resources through the polycondensation or ring-opening polymerization of lactic acid (LA)/lactide. LA can be conveniently produced via the fermentation of sugars obtained from renewable sources such as corn and sugar cane. Due to its biodegradable and biocompatible nature, PLA exhibits a vast range of applications. Its advantages include non-toxicity, environmental safety, and compatibility with human biological systems. PLA finds significant use in various biomedical applications, including implants, tissue engineering, sutures, and drug delivery systems. Additionally, PLA serves as a renewable and biodegradable polymer of extensive utility in film production, offering an alternative to petrochemical-based polymers. Moreover, the properties of PLA-based films can be tailored by incorporating extracts, polysaccharides, proteins, and nano-particles. This review encompasses LA production, PLA synthesis, and diverse applications of PLA and further explores the potential of PLA in the realm of packaging.

Polysaccharide-protein complexes have proven to be effective nano-carrier with high stability. In this work, walnut protein hydrolysates (WPH) prepared through limited enzymolysis were considered as encapsulation carriers to solve the limited water solubility and bioavailability of icariin, a bioactive compound in functional foods. The pH-driven method was employed to prepare WPH-icariin nanoparticles (WPHI). Their characterization, formation, digestive properties, and immunomodulatory activity were investigated. The results showed that WPHI possessed superior encapsulation efficiency (82.35 %) and loading capacity (137.2 μg/mg) for icariin. Its water solubility (1647 μg/mL) and bioavailability (94.86 %) were significantly improved, by over 80 and 30 times, respectively. The combination of WPH with icariin resulted in the formation of irregular lamellar structure through hydrophobic, electrostatic, and disulfide bonds interactions. Moreover, WPHI demonstrated significant immunomodulatory activity, and thermal and digestive stabilities (> 93 %), but extremely poor pH and salt tolerance. To address these issues, Mesona chinensis polysaccharide (MCP)-WPHI was prepared. The incorporation of MCP significantly improved the physicochemical stability of nanoparticles. Compared to WPHI, MCP-WPHI showed improved pH, thermal, salt tolerance (0-250 mM), and storage stability. This study expanded the application of WPH and MCP in delivering icariin while providing new insights for developing multifunctional high-nutritional-quality food ingredients.

Hydrogel-born materials have garnered significant interest due to their inherent flame retardant properties and eco-friendly characteristics. In light of the diminishing petroleum reserves and the escalating environmental challenges, there is an urgent impetus to exploit high-value applications of naturally occurring resources and to advance research in sustainable manufacturing technologies. In this vein, we describe an innovative and sustainable methodology for the development and production of flame-retardant hydrogels. This approach perfectly integrates renewable itaconic acid and cellulose derivatives with rapid vat photopolymerization (VP) 3D printing technology, which affords a green and efficient route for materials processing. Specifically, the biomass-based ink formulated for 3D printing demonstrates excellent visible-light curing properties, achieving a maximum double-bond conversion of 45.3 % within 10 min of exposure to visible-light LED under ambient conditions. Moreover, the resultant 3D-printed biomass-based hydrogels exhibit commendable flame-retardant performance, as evidenced by a V-0 flammability rating and a Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) value of 60.2 %. They also possess desirable mechanical attributes (95.2 kPa) and exceptional thermal stability, enduring high temperatures for up to 12 min. Notably, these hydrogels exhibit remarkable freeze tolerance, maintaining their functionality even at profoundly low temperatures. This study demonstrates a novel strategy for the design and production of flame-retardant materials, contributing to the pursuit of green sustainability.

Proteases are a large group of enzymes in high demand due to their wide and different biotechnological applications mainly in the biomedical field. Ultrasound (US) has been used successfully in several Bioprocesses in biotechnology, such as in the upregulation of enzymatic hydrolysis (biocatalysis). The objective of this work was to purify an enzyme from Streptomyces parvulus and to characterize it through physic-chemical applications including ultrasound effect. The purified protease has a molecular weight of 78.0 KDa, a yield of 31 % and 11.8-fold, it was stable between pH 4-9, optimum pH at 7.5, temperature of 0-45 °C, and showed optimum temperature at 45 °C, exhibited enhanced activity with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, and was inhibited by PMSF. US in the treatment or pre-treatment of enzymatic reactions showed to be favorable and increase the activity around 85 % for the optimum temperature 45 °C. Also, in circular dichroism spectra it was shown a significant change in enzyme structure under US effect enhancing the real activity. Besides, the US improved the enzyme reactions for all assays. The purified enzyme was successfully immobilized in chitosan film. Thus, the present work demonstrated the promising results of a protease with collagenolytic activity in the field of Biotechnology by proving the positive effect induced by ultrasound.

Cellulose paper is a flammable and hygroscopic material, which limits its application. In this paper, melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF) and silane coupling agents were used to microencapsulate ammonium polyphosphate (Si@MFAPP) in turn and added to the fibers suspension to prepare hydrophobic and flame-retardant cellulose paper. It was found that the surface of the ammonium polyphosphate (APP) was smooth with the water solubility of 0.24 g/100 mL. After microencapsulation with MF, the surface of MFAPP became rough, and the solubility was reduced to 0.1 g/100 mL. When further encapsulation with polysiloxanes, the surface showed significantly higher roughness, and a lotus leaf-like microspherical structure was formed. Specifically, its solubility decreased to 0.04 g/100 mL. In addition, the residual char weight of Si@MFAPP at 800 °C was increased from 25.27 % to 38.56 %. The water contact angle (WCA) of MFAPP/Pulp increased from 84.23° to 90.78°, and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) increased from 31.8 % to 34.1 %, meaning that the flame retardancy was obviously raised. The WCA of Si@MFAPP/Pulp enhanced to 96.45°, and the LOI was 34.5 %, meaning that the hydrophobicity was further raised. Therefore, Si@MFAPP significantly improved the flame-retardancy and hydrophobicity of the cellulose paper.

To provide more insight into the potential applications of the biocompatible polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) of Tragacanth gum (TG) and chitosan (CS) in the biological fields, the PEC cryogel of TG and CS were fabricated. Different TG:CS ratios were examined to optimize the PEC characteristics. Based on coacervation yield, water absorption, supernatant viscosity, turbidity, and rheological properties, 18:2 was chosen as the optimized ratio of TG:CS. The pH = 4 was selected as the optimized point, resulting in the highest level of interactions between anionic and cationic polysaccharides. The zeta potential of PECs was indicative of the charge neutralization between polyanions and polycations which were also studied by FTIR spectra. The cryogel exhibited a macroporous plate structure in leaf-like form and narrowed mesopores distributed around 2.4 and 4.6 nm. PECs exhibited anti-bacterial activities, reducing 95 % of E. coli within 1 h and 99.9 % after 24 h, as well as 80 % of S. aureus after 1 h and 99.9 % after 24 h. TG:CS cryogel adhered to the human fibroblast cell lines (HFFF2) without cytotoxicity effects. The scratch assay validated that the cryogel effectively induced wound closure in human fibroblast cells within 48 h.

Nanostructured polymer composites have gained significant attention in recent years for their remarkable potential in bone and tissue regeneration. Moreover, with the integration of 3D printing technology, these composites hold promise for use in personalized medicine, where patient-specific scaffolds can be tailored to enhance therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, this review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the development and application of nanostructured polymeric composites within the field of tissue engineering and bone regeneration. Here, the potential of biopolymers, natural polymers, and 3D-printed polymers to craft biocompatible, non-toxic, and mechanically robust composites is discussed in brief. Further, the fabrication techniques for 3D scaffolds and various forms of nanocomposites, including nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanofibers, nanogels, and micelles for bone and tissue regeneration, are listed. Also, particular emphasis is placed on the role of nano-scaffolds and in situ hydrogels in bone and tissue regeneration. Overall, this review provides a concise and authoritative summary of the current state-of-the-art in nanostructured polymer composites for regenerative medicine, highlighting future directions and potential clinical applications.

This study explores the potential of low-frequency alternating magnetic field-assisted freezing (LF-MFF) on enhancing the physicochemical stability and gelling performance of porcine myofibrillar proteins (MPs). We observed that LF-MFF markedly reduced oxidative denaturation of MPs compared to refrigerator freezing (RF), thus maintaining higher gel quality. Notably, LF-MFF treatment at 3-4 mT enhanced MPs' solubility, decreased turbidity, and lowered dityrosine content. LF-MFF at 4 mT also effectively minimized MPs' aggregation and degradation. Rheological measurements revealed that the storage modulus (G') and apparent viscosity of MPs treated with 3-4 mT LF-MFF are comparable to those of fresh samples (FS). Furthermore, LF-MFF at 3-4 mT significantly improved the water-holding capacity (WHC), whiteness, gel strength, and textural properties of MPs. The 3-4 mT LF-MFF was particularly effective in enhancing hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding, thereby inhibiting water mobility and protecting microstructure of MPs gels. In summary, LF-MFF, especially at 4 mT, improved the gelation properties of MPs by reducing oxidative denaturation, providing significant insights for its application in the frozen meat industry.