Curcumin (CUR) is a bioactive polyphenol with significant health potential; however, its use in food systems is limited by poor aqueous solubility. Hetero-protein aggregation offers a promising encapsulation strategy; however, its performance is highly dependent on formulation conditions. Here, an experimental screening approach was used to evaluate the effects of pH (4–10), whey protein isolate (WPI): lysozyme (LYS) ratio (3:1–1:3), and CUR concentration (905–54 μM) on the formation and encapsulation performance of WPI–LYS hetero-protein aggregates. The screening identified pH, protein ratio, and CUR loading as interdependent drivers of aggregation behaviour, surface charge, particle size, crystallinity, and encapsulation efficiency. Maximum encapsulation efficiency (97.56 ± 0.50%) was achieved at pH 7, 494 μM, and a WPI: LYS ratio of 1:1.5; however, structural analyses revealed that high CUR loadings resulted in residual crystallinity despite the high apparent encapsulation efficiency. In contrast, lower CUR loading (106 μM; 1:50 CUR: protein) produced amorphous hetero-protein aggregates with high encapsulation efficiency and improved structural homogeneity. Spectroscopic evidence indicates that, in the ternary WPI–CUR–LYS system, CUR is stabilised within a reorganised protein network through localised hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding. In contrast, single-protein systems rely on less restrictive associations. Overall, WPI–LYS hetero-protein aggregates outperformed single-protein systems, demonstrating that reliable CUR encapsulation cannot be inferred from encapsulation efficiency alone. This work highlights the critical role of systematic screening in establishing formulation-dependent design rules for hetero-protein-based delivery systems in food applications. • WPI–LYS hetero-protein aggregates enhanced curcumin encapsulation vs single proteins • Maximum encapsulation efficiency achieved at pH 7 and WPI:LYS ratio of 1:1.5 • Curcumin modulated protein–protein interactions, reducing aggregation and particle size • XRD and SEM revealed amorphous curcumin at ≤106 μM and saturation above 494 μM • FTIR showed α-helix/β-sheet increase correlates with higher curcumin encapsulation

Dietary supplementation with Bacillus velezensis enhances the intestinal health of broiler chickens challenged with necrotic enteritis via reshaping the structure and function of the intestinal flora.

Saffron-derived crocin modulates growth, immunity, metabolism, antioxidant capacity, and disease resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila in the oriental river prawn (Macrobrachiumnipponense).

NFIL3-dependent regulation of NF-κB pathway mediates alginic oligosaccharide alleviation of nitrite immunotoxicity in Procambarus clarkii.

In vitro evaluation of vitamin D3 as an antiviral and immune modulator against novel yellow catfish calcivirus (YcCV) in channel catfish kidney (CCK) cell line in aquaculture.

Airborne nanoplastic (NP) pollution is an emerging threat to respiratory health. Although inhaled NPs rapidly acquire a protein corona that shapes their bioactivity, the consequences of this process in cancer-susceptible lungs remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether NPs form a disease-specific pathogenic protein corona in lung adenocarcinoma that rewires immune signaling and accelerates tumor progression. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) NPs were generated by mechanical fragmentation and extensively characterized. In tumor-bearing mice, inhaled PET NPs accelerated tumor growth relative to controls. Proteomic analysis of PET NPs incubated with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with lung adenocarcinoma identified lysozyme (LYZ) as a selectively enriched corona component associated with tumor stage and metastasis. Corona formation induced conformational remodeling of LYZ, enhanced its enzymatic activity, and prolonged its membrane retention. Mechanistically, corona-bound LYZ engaged Toll-like receptor 4 and activated a PGRN-LXRα signaling axis, thereby increasing lysosomal acidification-dependent efferocytosis, promoting M2 macrophage polarization, and reducing CD8+ T-cell infiltration. In vivo, AAV9-mediated knockdown of LYZ or PGRN attenuated PET NP-induced efferocytosis, reversed immunosuppressive reprogramming, restored CD8+ T-cell infiltration, and suppressed tumor growth, demonstrating the functional requirement for this corona pathway. These findings establish disease-derived PET NP coronas as active nano-bio interfaces that connect environmental PET NP exposure with efferocytosis-driven immune evasion in lung adenocarcinoma. This work provides a mechanistic link between airborne NPs and tumor progression in susceptible hosts and highlights corona-mediated signaling as a potential therapeutic target and environmental health concern.

Aflatoxins (AFB) are adventitious plant toxins that act as immunosuppressants. Experimental Nile tilapia were divided into eight groups: AFB0 (control, uncontaminated diet), AFB50 (50 ppbAFB1), AFB100 (100 ppbAFB1), AFB150 (150 ppbAFB1), AFB0 + Sil (0 ppbAFB1+Sil), AFB50 + Sil (50 ppbAFB1+Sil), AFB100 + Sil (100 ppbAFB1+Sil), and AFB150 + Sil (150 ppbAFB1+Sil). The AFB1-residues in fish liver (AFB0, AFB50, AFB100, and AFB150) were 0.34, 0.54, and 0.82 ppb, respectively, while traces were recorded in muscles. Sil-supplemented fish had lower residues than other contaminated groups, which were still higher than AFB0. The gene expression of GPx, SOD, IL-1β, and TNF-α was significantly and linearly decreased with increasing aflatoxin levels, whereas Sil-supplementation (AFB50 + Sil) resulted in a high and significant increase of 3.86, 5.37, and 7.85 fold-change, respectively, compared with the fish groups and the control. While, CAT expression increased in response to a low aflatoxin level (AFB50; 2.17-fold-change), it decreased linearly with increasing aflatoxin level. Moreover, IL-10 expression was significantly higher in fish of AFB100 and AFB150, with 8.7- and 8.85-fold changes, respectively, compared to the control. Significant declines in immunoglobulin (Ig)M-2 and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) gene expression were observed in fish receiving AFB1-contaminated diets and Sil could enhance the expression. Innate immunity of the experimental fish was assessed by measuring the following parameters; serum antibacterial activity (SAB), oxidative burst activity (OBA), phagocytic activity (PA), phagocytic index (PI), and lysozyme (LYZ) as well as by challenge with Streptococcus agalactiae. Nile tilapia fed AFB1-contaminated diets showed immune-antioxidant suppressive status, indicating compromised health and a lowered survival rate (SR%) during bacterial challenge and antibiotic treatment Sil-supplementation could improve SR%.

A flexible carbon nanotube field-effect transistor-based immunosensor for the selective and sensitive detection of salivary lysozyme: A biomarker of Alzheimer's disease.

Proteins operate in crowded physiological environments, yet their conformational and oligomeric states are largely inferred from experiments performed under dilute buffer conditions. Here, we show that for lysozyme (LYS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), self-crowding at physiologically relevant concentrations alters protein structure and assembly, leading to well-defined dense protein states. Circular dichroism reveals a pronounced yet reversible shift from -helices to -sheets and turns in both proteins, indicating structural changes that are stable but distinct from amyloid aggregation. Small-angle X-ray scattering shows that LYS exhibits net attractive interprotein interactions, whereas BSA displays dominant repulsions that destabilize its dimeric state. At low concentrations, BSA acts as a self-hydrotrope, stabilizing monomers through weak attractions, while at higher concentrations self-crowding promotes dimer dissociation through protein interface destabilization and solution reorganization. Together, these findings demonstrate that protein self-crowding drives reversible restructuring of protein conformation and interactions, challenging classical volume-exclusion models of macromolecular crowding.

Staphylococcus aureus is a significant pathogen that poses a threat to both human and animal health. Its pathogenicity in humans has been extensively studied, however, the signaling pathways and key genes in Koi Carp responding to S. aureus from human rhinitis remain unclear. In this study, we established an intraperitoneal infection model in koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) using an S. aureus isolate from patients with rhinitis and integrated RNA-seq, qPCR, and ELISA to dissect the host response. Our findings reveal a dual-module immune evasion strategy employed by S. aureus in koi carp. Module I: The pathogen down-regulated the entire complement coagulation cascade (C3, C9, CFH, F7/9/10) and apolipoprotein-mediated opsonins (APOA1, APOB, APOC1/2), thereby crippling innate clearance. Module II: The host mounted a restricted but potent counter-response, characterized by type I IFN signalling (gvin1, MHC-I), NK/T-cell co-stimulation (CD244, SLAMF5), and the selective induction of IL-8 and IL-1β, while IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α remained unchanged. Functionally, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lysozyme (LZM) activities surged, confirming an oxidative burst, whereas splenic CD22R protein decreased, indicating B-cell disinhibition. These results establish a molecular basis for understanding the interaction between human-derived S. aureus and the immune system of aquatic organisms.

The intensive aquaculture model has increased the incidence of disease outbreaks in fish, and the prolonged use of antibiotics and chemicals can adversely affect the health of farmed fish and the environment. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop eco-friendly feed additives as alternatives. The experiment was conducted with four groups: LA0 (the control), LA9 (109 CFU/g L. acidophilus AC), LA10 (1010 CFU/g L. acidophilus AC) and LA11 (1011 CFU/g L. acidophilus AC); each group had three replicates, and the trial lasted for 56 days. The results showed that compared with the LA0 group, the LA11 group exhibited a significantly lower viscerosomatic index (VSI) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the LA9 and LA10 groups displayed significantly higher muscle moisture content and lower fat content (p < 0.05). The hepatic acid phosphatase (ACP) activity in the LA9 and LA11 groups was significantly elevated (p < 0.05), and the serum lysozyme (LZM) activity in the LA10 group was significantly higher compared with that of the LA0 group (p < 0.05). The intestinal villus height in the LA9 and LA11 groups was significantly increased than that in the LA0 group (p < 0.05), as well as up-regulated the number of goblet cells in the LA11 group (p < 0.05). Intestinal lipase activity in the LA9 group was significantly higher than that of the LA0 group (p < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with L. acidophilus AC significantly increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Arenimonas, Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum, OM27 clade, Roseomonas and Subdoligranulum in the intestine of the LA9 group (p < 0.05). Intestinal metabolomics analysis revealed significant reductions in the concentrations of PS (24:0/22:6 (5Z, 7Z, 10Z, 13Z, 16Z, 19Z)-OH (4)), galabiosylceramide (d18:1/26:1 [17Z]) and PC (24:0/22:6 (4Z, 7Z, 11E, 13Z, 15E, 19Z) -2OH (10S, 17)) in the LA9 group (p < 0.05), while the concentration of 3b,6a-dihydroxy-alpha-ionol 9-[apiosyl-(1- > 6)-glucoside] was significantly elevated (p < 0.05). Further analysis indicated that the differential metabolites were primarily associated with neomycin, kanamycin and gentamicin biosynthesis pathways. In conclusion, L. acidophilus AC can enhance the digestive and absorptive capacity and regulate the antioxidant and immune ability of large yellow croaker by regulating the intestinal microbiota and metabolism.

The development of novel multifunctional emulsifiers using protein–polyphenol interactions is a common strategy. Previously, we investigated the emulsifying properties of the four citrus flavonoids alone. This study investigated how complexing lysozyme (LY) with four citrus-derived flavonoids affects emulsifying properties. Results demonstrated that the emulsification performance was enhanced when flavonoids were complexed with LY, following the order: hesperidin (Hpd) > neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (Neohpddic) > neohesperidin (Neohpd) > hesperetin (Hpt). This enhancement was positively correlated with the intrinsic emulsification abilities of the flavonoids, suggesting that the synergistic effect should not overlook the emulsifying capacity of the flavonoids themselves. The Hpd-LY mixture increased the three-phase contact angle (to near 90°) compared to Hpd alone (51.16° ± 0.58), which helped form high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) gels. Stable HIPEs were achieved at an oil phase fraction φ = 80%, mixture concentration w ≥ 0.8%, and Hpd-to-LY ratio k ≥ 1:1. Droplet size decreased as w increased from 0.6% to 1.2%, but increased with higher φ and k, while gel strength improved. In addition, these HIPEs protected encapsulated lutein and suppressed lipid oxidation. The findings show that flavonoid–protein complexes, especially Hpd-LY, can build stable and functional HIPEs for protecting bioactive compounds.

Targeted design and controllable assembly of egg white protein complexes guided by phase behavior: Thermal stability and processing properties of ovotransferrin-lysozyme heteroprotein complexes.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate attenuates immunotoxicity of florfenicol and enhances innate immunity in Procambarus clarkii.

Effects of oleic acid supplementation on ileal fatty acid digestibility, intestinal barrier function, and cecal microbiota in Pekin ducks fed a high-fat diet

Precise control of the matter state and dynamics is a key challenge in developing novel food matrices using concentrated protein coacervates. Herein, we report a pH-driven liquid-gel-solid transition of protein coacervates composed of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) and lysozyme (LYS). The terminal relaxation time of the coacervate extended from 0.17 ms to 267 s during the phase transition due to increased affinity. Spin-spin relaxation data, hydrogen bond competition experiments, and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that increasing the pH from 6 to 8 shifted the BLG/LYS stoichiometric ratio from 3:1 to 1:1. The enhanced charge symmetry expanded the interaction interface between BLG and LYS by 1.8 times, thereby promoting the desolvation of bound water and the formation of protein-protein hydrogen bonds that consequently slowed the dynamics of the BLG-LYS coacervates. Overall, this study introduces a new class of protein-based food models with tunable physical properties and offers valuable insights into their precise control.

Although gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) are widely used in chemical sensing as a new type of luminescent nanoprobe, the metallophilic interaction between Hg2+ and Au+ on the surface of AuNCs will lead to fluorescence quenching, which will affect the detection of other metal ions based on AuNCs. Herein, a highly sensitive ratiometric fluorescent sensor was established for the detection of Cu2+ based on ZIF-8 encapsulating fluorescent nanoparticles. AuNCs and CDs were first coupled by lysozyme (LYZ) and then encapsulated in porous metal-organic frameworks of ZIF-8 by the LYZ-mediated process. The as-prepared CD@SiO2@AuNC@ZIF-8 could exhibit selective enrichment and specific response to Cu2+, resulting in the rational quenching of the fluorescence intensity of the AuNCs while the fluorescence intensity of CDs was stable and served as a background reference. The proposed method exhibited good linearity to Cu2+ concentration in the range of 0.04-4 μM and with a limit of detection of 33 nM. In addition, the prepared fluorescent test strips integrated with smartphone photo were further designed for the visual detection, which would greatly promote applications in Cu2+ monitoring.

Houttuynia cordata (HC) has antitumor, antileukemic, antioxidant, antiviral and other biological activities. However, despite the emergence of severe diseases, few studies have explored the effects of HC on crustaceans. We evaluated the effects of HC on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, the immune response, immune-related gene expression and disease resistance in red swamp crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ). A total of 1800 healthy crayfish were randomly divided into six groups: the basal diet group (0%), HC10 (1.0%) group, HC15 (1.5%) group, HC20 (2.0%) group, HC25 (2.5%) group, and HC30 (3.0%) group. The feeding experiment lasted for 8 weeks. Compared with the crayfish fed the control diet, the crayfish in all the groups fed HC-supplemented diets exhibited no increase in final body weight (FBW), specific growth rate (SGR) or weight gain (WG) and exhibited a decrease in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P &lt; 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), lysozyme (LZM), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities were significantly greater and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were lower in the hemolymph and hepatopancreas of the crayfish fed a diet supplemented with 1.5% to 3.0% HC than in those of the crayfish fed the control diet. The phenoloxidase (PO) content increased in the hemolymph of the crayfish fed a diet supplemented with 1.5% to 3.0% HC compared with that in the hemolymph of the crayfish fed the control diet (P &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, dietary supplementation with 1.5% to 3.0% HC upregulated Rab5, Rab6, pro-phenoloxidase (proPO), crustin 1, ferritin and metallothionein expression (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, dietary supplementation with 1.5% to 3.0% HC decreased crayfish mortality from white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. These findings indicate that dietary HC supplementation at an optimum dose of 2.0% to 2.5% may effectively improve the immune response and immune-related gene expression in crayfish.

Heavy fuel oil (HFO) spills pose persistent threats to coastal ecosystems; however, the immunotoxic effects of stranded HFO on benthic deposit-feeders remain less understood. This study employed an oiled gravel column (OGC) system simulating the weathering and tidal flushing of stranded HFO 380 # on gravel substrates and investigated immunotoxic responses in sea cucumbers ( Apostichopus japonicus ) over 21 d at environmentally relevant oil loadings (0, 2, 8, and 32 mg HFO/g gravel). Results showed that weathering loss of stranded HFO followed characteristic sigmoidal kinetics ( R 2 = 0.934, 0.898, and 0.902 for 2, 8, and 32 mg/g groups, respectively), while total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations in OGC effluents followed first-order exponential decay ( R 2 = 0.974, 0.958, and 0.979 for 2, 8, and 32 mg/g groups, respectively). Stranded HFO exposure induced significant dose− and time−dependent effects in innate immune defense. Cellular immune endpoints, including total coelomocyte count (TCC), phagocytic (PAC) activity, and respiratory burst (RBT) capacity, showed initial compensatory activation at lower oil loadings by Day 14, followed by progressive suppression at higher oil loadings by Day 21. Humoral immune biomarkers, including acid phosphatase (ACP) activity, lysozyme (LZM) content, and total nitric oxide synthase (T-NOS) activity, exhibited analogous biphasic patterns characterized by early induction and subsequent inhibition, particularly at higher oil loadings. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels increased significantly across all groups. Pearson correlation and principal component analyses identified strong negative correlations between sustained intracellular ROS levels and multiple immune biomarkers, suggesting that petroleum hydrocarbon-induced oxidative stress may represent a key mechanism contributing to the observed immunosuppression. These findings highlight the potential for stranded HFO to progressively compromise innate immune function in deposit-feeding echinoderms, raising concerns for benthic organism health in oil-impacted intertidal zones and warranting further ecological risk assessment of HFO spill residues on gravel shorelines.

Gold nanomaterials exhibiting size-dependent optical and catalytic properties are extensively used in sensors, catalysts, and photodevices. Yet, the size effect of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) on 1O2 production has rarely been explored. This study demonstrates that lysozyme (LYZ)-stabilized Au8 clusters could serve as a photosensitizer for the efficient production of 1O2 under the irradiation of green light-emitting diode relative to the LYZ-stabilized Au25 clusters and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; approximately 3.2 nm). The same stabilizing macromolecule, LYZ, was used as a template for preparing AuNCs, enabling the comparison of their 1O2 production efficiency resulting from ligand effects without complications. 9,10-Anthracenediyl-bis(methylene)dimalonic acid was used to detect 1O2 by monitoring its absorption peak intensity with time. The QYs for 1O2 generation were determined to be 16.2%, 3.0%, and <0.1% for the LYZ-stabilized Au8 clusters, Au25 clusters, and AuNPs, respectively, using Rose Bengal (RB) as a reference. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy confirmed that the photoexcitation of Au8 clusters afforded 1O2 rather than other reactive oxygen species, and their 1O2 production efficiency increased with decreasing excitation wavelength. The mechanism behind these observations indicated that the positive surface charge of the LYZ-stabilized Au8 clusters at pH 5.0 promoted the approach of O2 molecules to the cluster surface and thus facilitated efficient 1O2 generation. Additionally, the relatively large surface-to-volume ratio of the LYZ-stabilized Au8 clusters, compared to that of the LYZ-stabilized Au25 clusters, could be a contributing factor for enhanced 1O2 generation.