Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) ferritin can efficiently reduce the damage of Pb2+in vivo by electrostatic attraction

The application of ferritin in transporting and binding diverse metal ions

The ferritin cage can not only load iron ions in its inner cavity, but also has the capacity to carry other metal ions, thus constructing a new biological nano-transport system. The nanoparticles formed by ferritin and minerals can be used as ingredients of mineral supplements, which overcome the shortcomings of traditional mineral ingredients such as low bioavailability. Moreover, ferritin can be used to remove heavy metal ions from contaminated food. Silver and palladium nanoparticles formed by ferritin are also applied as anticancer agents. Ferritin combined with metal ions can be also used to detect harmful substances. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of ferritin's function in transporting and binding metal ions, and discusses the limitations and future prospects, which offers valuable insights for the application of ferritin in mineral supplements, food detoxifiers, anticancer agents, and food detections.

Advancements of the Molecular Directed Design and Structure-Activity Relationship of Ferritin Nanocage

Ferritin nanocages possess remarkable structural properties and biological functions, making them highly attractive for applications in functional materials and biomedicine. This comprehensive review presents an overview of the molecular characteristics, extraction and identification of ferritin, ferritin receptors, as well as the advancements in the directional design of high-order assemblies of ferritin and the applications based on its unique structural properties. Specifically, this Review focuses on the regulation of ferritin assembly from one to three dimensions, leveraging the symmetry of ferritin and modifications on key interfaces. Furthermore, it discusses targeted delivery of nutrition and drugs through facile loading and functional modification of ferritin. The aim of this Review is to inspire the design of micro/nano functional materials using ferritin and the development of nanodelivery vehicles for nutritional fortification and disease treatment.

Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) ferritin relieves lead-induced liver oxidative damage via regulating the mitophagy

Lead can induce oxidative stress and increase lipid peroxidation in biofilms, leading to liver damage and physiological dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate how oyster ferritin (GF1) attenuates lead-induced oxidative damage to the liver in vitro and in vivo. Animal experiments have confirmed that lead exposure can lead to oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation of the liver, and ferritin can regulate the activity of antioxidant enzymes and alleviate pathological changes in the liver. At the same time, oyster ferritin can regulate the expression of oxidative stress-related genes and reduce the expression of inflammasome-related genes. In addition, lead can induce apoptosis and mitophagy, leading to overproduction of reactive oxygen species and cell death, which can be effectively alleviated by oyster ferritin. Overall, this study provides a theoretical foundation for the use of oyster ferritin as a means of mitigating and preventing lead-induced damage.

Multifaceted Applications of Ferritin Nanocages in Delivering Metal Ions, Bioactive Compounds, and Enzymes: A Comprehensive Review

Ferritin, a distinctive iron-storage protein, possesses a unique cage-like nanoscale structure that enables it to encapsulate and deliver a wide range of biomolecules. Recent advances prove that ferritin can serve as an efficient 8 nm diameter carrier for various bioinorganic nutrients, such as minerals, bioactive polyphenols, and enzymes. This review offers a comprehensive summary of ferritin's structural features from different sources and emphasizes its functions in iron supplementation, calcium delivery, single- and coencapsulation of polyphenols, and enzyme package. Additionally, the influence of innovative food processing technologies, including manothermosonication, pulsed electric field, and atmospheric cold plasma, on the structure and function of ferritin are examined. Furthermore, the limitations and prospects of ferritin in food and nutritional applications are discussed. The exploration of ferritin as a multifunctional protein with the capacity to load various biomolecules is crucial to fully harnessing its potential in food applications.

Ameliorative Effects of Oyster Protein Hydrolysates on Cadmium-Induced Hepatic Injury in Mice

Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread environmental toxicant that can cause severe hepatic injury. Oyster protein hydrolysates (OPs) have potential effects on preventing liver disease. In this study, thirty mice were randomly divided into five groups: the control, Cd, Cd + ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, 100 mg/kg), and low/high dose of OPs-treatment groups (100 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg). After continuous administration for 7 days, the ameliorative effect of OPs on Cd-induced acute hepatic injury in Cd-exposed mice was assessed. The results showed that OPs significantly improved the liver function profiles (serum ALT, AST, LDH, and ALP) in Cd-exposed mice. Histopathological analysis showed that OPs decreased apoptotic bodies, hemorrhage, lymphocyte accumulation, and inflammatory cell infiltration around central veins. OPs significantly retained the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px, and decreased the elevated hepatic MDA content in Cd-exposed mice. In addition, OPs exhibited a reductive effect on the inflammatory responses (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and inhibitory effects on the expression of inflammation-related proteins (MIP-2 and COX-2) and the ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway. OPs suppressed the development of hepatocyte apoptosis (Bax, caspase-3, and Blc-2) and the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in Cd-exposed mice. In conclusion, OPs ameliorated the Cd-induced hepatic injury by inhibiting oxidative damage and inflammatory responses, as well as the development of hepatocyte apoptosis via regulating the ERK/NF-κB and PI3K/AKT-related signaling pathways.

Biosorption Characteristic and Cytoprotective Effect of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ by a Novel Polysaccharide from Zingiber strioatum

The pollution of heavy metal ions can cause damage to the human body through food, so developing a new biocompatible material that can remove the damage of heavy metal ions has a good application prospect. In this study, we obtained a new homogeneous polysaccharide composed of seven monosaccharides from Zingiber strioatum by using the method of separation and purification of polysaccharide. The results of adsorption behavior showed that the concentration, temperature and pH value could affect the adsorption effect of Zingiber strioatum polysaccharide (ZSP). Through model fitting of the data of adsorption time and metal concentration, the pseudo second-order kinetic model can well describe the kinetics of the adsorption process, and the adsorption isotherm data fit well with the Langmuir model. In the preliminary research results of adsorption mechanism, SEM showed the appearance of ZSP as flake and porous surface; EDX analysis confirmed the metal adsorption capacity of ZSP. Meanwhile, XPS and FT-IR further clarified the adsorption based on functional groups composed of C and O. The cells preprotected by ZSP can resist heavy metal ions. The above results show that ZSP can be used as a new macromolecule to bind heavy metal ions, which can broaden the research scope of polysaccharides in contaminated food systems.