Search

Liver cancer, a malignancy with a rising global incidence, poses a significant challenge in achieving effective treatment outcomes. As food-derived nutrient, sea cucumber peptide (SCP) has shown promising anticancer effects. Therefore, we explored the nanodelivery systems to encapsulate SCP to enhance its stability in the gastrointestinal tract and improve absorption within the tumor microenvironment. This study aimed to develop size-controllable multifunctional nanoparticles using SCP, procyanidins (PCs), and vanillin through molecular assembly via a one-pot Mannich condensation approach. These food-grade nanoparticles demonstrated water solubility and exhibited a spherical structure with sizes ranging from 441 to 1360 nm, depending on the concentration of the reactants. In vitro cell experiments demonstrated that SCP nanoparticles modified with PCs effectively reduced the generation of reactive oxygen species from H 2 O 2 and acrylamide while maintaining normal levels of mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, in vivo nutrition intervention studies conducted on tumor-bearing mice revealed that mice treated with SCP nanoparticles exhibited a survival rate of 40 %, which was significantly higher than the 0 % and 20 % survival rates observed in the control and SCP-treated groups, respectively. These findings suggest that SCP nanoparticles, possessing antioxidative properties and controllable sizes, hold potential for precision nutrition in the field of cancer treatment. • Size-controllable food-grade nanoparticles were prepared by Scp using Mannich reaction. • Scp nanoparticles contained PCs and vanillin possessed good antioxidative property. • Scp nanoparticles could scavenge ROS and prolong life-span of tumor-bearing mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Microfluidic electrospinning for synthesizing fucoxanthin-loaded core–shell nanofibers. • GZ12/ZFx nanofibers significantly enhance hydrophobicity and stability of fucoxanthin. • Fucoxanthin-loaded nanofibers alleviate lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in oleic acid-incubated HepG2 cells. Fucoxanthin is a xanthophyll carotenoid that possesses potent antioxidant, anti-obesity, and anti-tumor properties. However, its limited solubility in water and susceptibility to degradation create challenges for its application. In this study, a microfluidic coaxial electrospinning technique was used to produce core–shell zein-gelatin nanofibers for encapsulating fucoxanthin, enhancing its bioavailability, and improving its stability. In comparison to uniaxially-loaded fucoxanthin nanofibers, the encapsulation efficiency of fucoxanthin reached 98.58 % at a core–shell flow rate ratio of 0.26:1, representing a 14.29 % improvement. The photostability of the nanofibers increased by 74.59 % after three days, UV stability increased by 38.82 % after 2 h, and temperature stability also significantly improved, demonstrating a protective effect under harsh environmental conditions (P < 0.05). Additionally, nanofibers effectively alleviated oleic acid-induced reactive oxygen species production and reduced fluorescence intensity by 54.76 %. MTT experiments indicated great biocompatibility of the nanofibers, effectively mitigating mitochondrial membrane potential polarization and lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Overall, the microfluidic coaxial electrospinning technique enables promising applications of fucoxanthin delivery in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Developing new nanovesicles combining lutein and milk exosomes by engineered assembly. • Lutein@exosome providers safer, efficiency therapy for DED model in vitro and in vivo. • Encouraging results show lutein@exosome as effective for long-term DED improvement. Oxidative stress and overactive inflammatory response result in a lack of tear fluid for dry eye disease (DED) pathogenesis. Lutein, a carotenoid for eye health, plays an important role in anti-oxidation and inhibiting the development of inflammation. However, the low bioavailability of lutein is still not well resolved due to its hydrophobicity. In this study, milk-derived exosomes were prepared by ultracentrifugation and filtration method for lutein encapsulation to enhance its bioavailability in alleviating DED. After encapsulation lutein into the exosome membrane through ultrasonic treatment, the lutein loading rate of milk exosomes was 69% with improved water solubility and stability of lutein against degradation at higher temperature and light irradiation. The lutein@exosomes displayed excellent biocompatibility, easy cellular absorption, and facilitated restoration of the mitochondrial membrane potential, which could effectively reduce reactive oxygen species and inflammatory levels in human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and macrophages. Furthermore, compared with a commercial product, lutein@exosome exhibited notable efficacy in repairing corneal epithelial damage, restoring tear film homeostasis, restored conjunctival goblet cell count and lacrimal gland size in a chronic dry eye model of C57BL/6 mice. This study offered a novel intervention strategy for DED by an exosome-based delivery system by encapsulating lutein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]