Lycium ruthenicum Murray exosome-like nanovesicles alleviated Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms induced by Aβ protein in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans through the DAF-16 pathway

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is predominantly characterized by cholinergic dysfunction, mitochondrial impairment, oxidative stress, and inflammation, primarily driven by amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides. This study investigates the protective effects of Lycium ruthenicum Murray-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (LELN) in AD models using transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Findings showed that C. elegans effectively internalized LELN, which remained stable in vivo. Compared with untreated controls, treatment with 600 μg/mL LELN significantly extended the lifespan of CL4176 [myo-3p::Aβ1-42] and CL2006 [unc-54/Aβ1-42] worms by 34.78 % and 34.85 %, respectively, and delayed Aβ-induced paralysis by 52.42 % and 42.72 %, respectively. Furthermore, LELN increased the chemotaxis index of CL2355 [snb-1::Aβ1-42] worms from 11.11 % to 55.56 %. Mechanistically, LELN reduced the levels of Aβ oligomers and monomers via the DAF-16 pathway, consequently alleviating AD-like symptoms in transgenic C. elegans. The effects of LELN include inhibiting acetylcholinesterase activity to mitigate cholinergic dysfunction, restoring mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate production to ameliorate mitochondrial dysfunction, and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Collectively, these results highlight the protective role of LELN against Aβ-induced AD pathology and underscore their potential as a therapeutic candidate for AD treatment.

pH-sensitive chitosan/sodium alginate/calcium chloride hydrogel beads for potential oral delivery of rice bran bioactive peptides

Although rice bran active peptide (RBAP) has potent antioxidant properties, its practical applications have been limited by its low bioavailability. In this study, we hypothesized that pH-responsive hydrogels prepared from the ionic gelation between chitosan and alginate could be a promising delivery system of short-chain peptides, like RBAP, for protecting them from chemical degradation during digestion and improving their functionality. The hydrogel beads retained RBAP in the gastric environment due to strong interactions between two biopolymers and RBAP, followed by a sustained release of more than 70 % peptide in the intestinal condition, thus improving its gastrointestinal stability. The RBAP-loaded hydrogel beads not only significantly enhanced free radical scavenging ability by 3-7 times during digestion but also protected human umbilical vein endothelial cells from H2O2-induced oxidative stress after digestion. This study presents a novel hydrogel platform for enhancing the gastrointestinal stability and functional efficacy of RBAP and other water-soluble peptides.

Rice bran peptides target lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 to ameliorate atherosclerosis

Food-derived multifunctional peptides offer numerous health benefits through different biochemical pathways. However, their impact on aging-related atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), especially atherosclerosis, remains underexplored despite cardiovascular disease (CVD) being the leading cause of death globally. In this study, NHANES data and Mendelian randomization were used to analyze the association between lipid metabolism disorders, systemic immune responses, dietary inflammatory index, and ASCVD. The results showed that they were all positively correlated with ASCVD. A dietary intervention was used to induce a mouse model of atherosclerosis through a high-fat diet (HFD). Our findings demonstrate that rice bran peptide could mitigate the typical pathological features of atherosclerosis. Molecular docking analysis further predicted that lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is a key target of rice bran peptide. This prediction was validated through a two-cell model of endothelial cells and lox-1-interfered macrophages. Therefore, targeting LOX-1 with rice bran peptide inhibits the excessive uptake of oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) by macrophages, thereby hindering the mass production of foam cells, which is crucial in preventing the early onset of atherosclerosis.

A novel method for exploration and prediction of the bioactive target of rice bran-derived peptide (KF-8) by integrating computational methods and experiments

The investigation into the bioactive peptide's activity and target action poses a significant challenge in the field of food. An active peptide prepared from rice bran, KF-8, was confirmed to possess antioxidant activity in our previous study, but the specific target was unclear. This study used eight target prediction tools based on artificial intelligence and chemoinformatics to preliminarily screen potential antioxidant targets by integrating different computational methods. Then five different types of docking software were comparatively analyzed to further clarify their interaction sites and possible modes of action. The results showed that SIRT1 and CXCR4 are potential antioxidant targets of KF-8. Different docking software suggested that KF-8 interacts with SIRT1 and CXCR4 as major residues. Meanwhile, the results of Immunofluorescence co-localization experiments showed that the co-localization coefficients of KF-8 with SIRT1 and CXCR4 reached 0.5879 and 0.5684. This study provides new alternative means for the discovery of active peptide targets.

Transgenerational and parental impacts of acrylamide exposure on Caenorhabditis elegans: Physiological, behavioral, and genetic mechanisms

Acrylamide is pervasive, and its exposure poses numerous health risks. This study examines both the direct and transgenerational effects of acrylamide toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on physiological and behavioral parameters. Parental exposure to acrylamide compromised several aspects of nematode health, including lifespan, reproductive capacity, body dimensions, and motor and sensory functions. Notably, while exposure to low concentrations of acrylamide did not alter the physiological traits of the offspring-except for their learning and memory-these findings suggest a possible adaptive response to low-level exposure that could be inherited by subsequent generations. Furthermore, continued acrylamide exposure in the offspring intensified both physiological and perceptual toxicity. Detailed analysis revealed dose-dependent alterations in acrylamide's detoxification and metabolic pathways. In particular, it inhibits the gene gst-4, which encodes a crucial enzyme in detoxification, mitigates DNA damage induced by acrylamide, and highlights a potential therapeutic target to reduce its deleterious effects.

Anti-aging effect of peptides on Caenorhabditis elegans: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, peptides have been studied in Caenorhabditis elegans for anti-aging research. Due to the lack of sufficient evidence, we conducted this meta-analysis focusing on the anti-aging effect of peptides in C. elegans to provide more convincing evidence.

RESULTS

A literature search in PubMed, SCOUPUS, and Web of Science databases yielded 2879 articles. After removing duplicates and based on inclusion criteria and STAIR checklist quality assessment, nine articles were selected. Data extraction and analysis showed that, compared to the control group without peptide intervention, peptide supplementation significantly reduced nematode mortality risk [hazard ratio = 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.47, 0.62; P < 0.05], significantly increased the pharyngeal pumping rate [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.64, 95% CI = 0.87, 2.41; P < 0.05], bending frequency (SMD = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.16, 2.18; P < 0.05), and significantly decreased the accumulation of lipofuscin levels within nematodes (SMD = -4.48, 95% CI = -6.85, -2.12; P < 0.05). Additionally, subgroup analysis showed that doses ranging from 0.1 to 1 mg/mL (HR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.38, 0.65; P < 0.05) displayed better anti-aging effects compared to other dose ranges.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that peptides can significantly extend the lifespan of C. elegans under normal circumstances and improve three indicators of healthy life. More importantly, subgroup analysis revealed that a dosage of 0.1-1 mg/mL demonstrated superior anti-aging effects. This meta-analysis provides more convincing evidence that peptides can play an anti-aging role in C. elegans. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

D-pinitol ameliorated H2O2-induced oxidative damage in PC12 cells and prolonged the lifespan by IIS pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans

D-pinitol (DP) has been extensively regarded as the main active component of legumes for anti-aging. In this study, we intended to explore the anti-aging mechanism of DP, utilizing computer modeling techniques. The results demonstrated that DP significantly delayed H2O2-induced cellular senescence. Model PC12 cells treated with DP exhibited increased cell viability, increased antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT), and reduced ROS and MDA levels. Furthermore, DP was discovered to have a positive effect on healthy longevity. In C. elegans, DP treatment enhanced lifespan, stress capacity, antioxidant capacity (T-SOD/CAT/GSH-Px/MDA/ROS), and altered aging-related indicators of lipofuscin accumulation, pharyngeal pump rate, motility, and reproduction. Moreover, DP could reduce the toxicity Aβ in transgenic C. elegans CL4176, CL2355, and CL2331. Further mechanistic studies indicated DP increased transcription factor (daf-16, skn-1, hsf-1) expression of insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling (IIS) pathway. As expected, DP also extended the downstream target genes of the three transcription factors (sod-3, ctl-1, ctl-2, gst-4, hsp-16.1, and hsp-16.2). Further mutant lifespan experiments, network pharmacology, and molecular docking revealed that DP might be life-extending through the IIS pathway. DP deserves extensive investigation and development as a potential anti-aging drug in the future.

Antioxidant characteristics of hydrolysate from low-value sea cucumber: In vitro and in vivo activities of Caenorhabditis elegans

The antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo of Actinopyga miliaris hydrolysate (AMH) was investigated. The proportion of oligopeptides with 150-1000 Da in AMH was 65.48%. The IC50 values of 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, and ferric ion reducing power of AMH were 0.37, 3.43, and 24.15 mg/mL, respectively. Compared with the control group, the body length of Caenorhabditis elegans fed with 8 mg/mL AMH extended from 632.08 μm to 1009.57 μm, and the swallowing frequency and head-swing frequency increased significantly. After being fed with AMH, the lifespan of C. elegans can be prolonged even under stress conditions, primarily due to superoxide dismutase activity, catalase activity, reduced glutathione content, and total antioxidant capacity in C. elegans increased, whereas reactive oxygen species level was reduced. The results showed that AMH had in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity, which can alleviate oxidative damage and prolong life of C. elegans.

Sea cucumber (Acaudina leucoprocta) peptides extended the lifespan and enhanced antioxidant capacity via DAF-16/DAF-2/SOD-3/OLD-1/PEPT-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans

The sea cucumber peptides (SCPs) from Acaudina leucoprocta were derived from the patented bio-enzyme digestion technology and the molecular weight of obtained SCPs was < 10 kDa. In this study, we investigated the possible anti-aging effects of SCPs on the model of Caenorhabditis elegans and the underlying mechanisms. SCPs extend the average lifespan of nematodes by 31.46%. SCPs enhance the anti-stress capacity of C. elegans by improving heat resistance and mobility, Also, the accumulated potential oxidative stress inducers like lipofuscin and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were reduced to 40.84 and 71.43%. In addition, SCPs can increase the antioxidant capacity in nematodes by enhancing the activity of SOD and CAT and reducing MDA accumulation in nematodes to 32.44%. Mechanistically, SCPs could mediate DAF-16/DAF-2/SOD-3/OLD-1/PEPT-1 axis to improve antioxidant capacity and extend lifespan in nematodes. Taken together, these findings provide a direction for the anti-aging effects of sea cucumber peptides and new insights into the further purifications of SCPs and future research on aging.