Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to screen novel immunomodulatory peptides from casein hydrolysates (CH) using alcalase and flavorzyme by virtual screening, and their molecular mechanism were further studied. Based on the primary structural characteristics of immunomodulatory peptides, along with their hy...

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Main Authors: Yutong Jiang, Siyi Li, Lai Jiang, Guangqing Mu, Shujuan Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Dairy Science
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030224013316
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author Yutong Jiang
Siyi Li
Lai Jiang
Guangqing Mu
Shujuan Jiang
author_facet Yutong Jiang
Siyi Li
Lai Jiang
Guangqing Mu
Shujuan Jiang
author_sort Yutong Jiang
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: This study aimed to screen novel immunomodulatory peptides from casein hydrolysates (CH) using alcalase and flavorzyme by virtual screening, and their molecular mechanism were further studied. Based on the primary structural characteristics of immunomodulatory peptides, along with their hydrophobicity and isoelectric point, 3 novel immunomodulatory peptides (ALPMHIR, AMKPWIQPK, NPWDQVKR) were quickly found using virtual screening. These peptides exhibited strong interactions with TLR2/TLR4 through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Molecular docking verified that the key binding sites, such as Ile733, Ala732, and Phe774 in TLR2/TLR4 contributed to docking. Interestingly, the peptide AMKPWIQPK exhibited the strongest immunomodulatory activity and anti-inflammatory activity as 2-way immunomodulatory peptides. Based on western blot analysis and validation using specific inhibitors against MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways, the results demonstrated that AMKPWIQPK could recognize the TLR2 and TLR4 receptor of the macrophages to upregulate the phospho-IκBα, phospho-p38, and phospho-p65, and further activated the MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathways to enhance the immunomodulatory activity. These results confirmed that screening and optimizing immunomodulatory peptides by virtual screening and molecular docking were a novel and rapidly feasible method. The peptide AMKPWIQPK was expected to be used as natural-derived immunomodulatory active ingredients in nutritional health care and functional foods.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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spelling doaj-art-ba5df9a7ba71451c8f9ffdef3e4232a82025-08-20T02:18:04ZengElsevierJournal of Dairy Science0022-03022025-03-0110832152216810.3168/jds.2024-25224Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screeningYutong Jiang0Siyi Li1Lai Jiang2Guangqing Mu3Shujuan Jiang4School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, ChinaCorresponding author; School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, ChinaABSTRACT: This study aimed to screen novel immunomodulatory peptides from casein hydrolysates (CH) using alcalase and flavorzyme by virtual screening, and their molecular mechanism were further studied. Based on the primary structural characteristics of immunomodulatory peptides, along with their hydrophobicity and isoelectric point, 3 novel immunomodulatory peptides (ALPMHIR, AMKPWIQPK, NPWDQVKR) were quickly found using virtual screening. These peptides exhibited strong interactions with TLR2/TLR4 through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Molecular docking verified that the key binding sites, such as Ile733, Ala732, and Phe774 in TLR2/TLR4 contributed to docking. Interestingly, the peptide AMKPWIQPK exhibited the strongest immunomodulatory activity and anti-inflammatory activity as 2-way immunomodulatory peptides. Based on western blot analysis and validation using specific inhibitors against MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways, the results demonstrated that AMKPWIQPK could recognize the TLR2 and TLR4 receptor of the macrophages to upregulate the phospho-IκBα, phospho-p38, and phospho-p65, and further activated the MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathways to enhance the immunomodulatory activity. These results confirmed that screening and optimizing immunomodulatory peptides by virtual screening and molecular docking were a novel and rapidly feasible method. The peptide AMKPWIQPK was expected to be used as natural-derived immunomodulatory active ingredients in nutritional health care and functional foods.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030224013316peptidecaseinimmunomodulatory activityvirtual screeningmolecular docking
spellingShingle Yutong Jiang
Siyi Li
Lai Jiang
Guangqing Mu
Shujuan Jiang
Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening
Journal of Dairy Science
peptide
casein
immunomodulatory activity
virtual screening
molecular docking
title Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening
title_full Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening
title_fullStr Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening
title_full_unstemmed Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening
title_short Immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening
title_sort immunomodulatory activity and molecular mechanisms of action of peptides derived from casein hydrolysate by alcalase and flavourzyme based on virtual screening
topic peptide
casein
immunomodulatory activity
virtual screening
molecular docking
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030224013316
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AT laijiang immunomodulatoryactivityandmolecularmechanismsofactionofpeptidesderivedfromcaseinhydrolysatebyalcalaseandflavourzymebasedonvirtualscreening
AT guangqingmu immunomodulatoryactivityandmolecularmechanismsofactionofpeptidesderivedfromcaseinhydrolysatebyalcalaseandflavourzymebasedonvirtualscreening
AT shujuanjiang immunomodulatoryactivityandmolecularmechanismsofactionofpeptidesderivedfromcaseinhydrolysatebyalcalaseandflavourzymebasedonvirtualscreening