Among the semiconductor photocatalytic materials, zinc oxide (ZnO)-based composites show promising research prospects in the field of environmental and biomedical materials due to their simple preparation, low cost, high photocatalytic performance, excellent physical stability and biocompatibility. Therefore, this review to summarize the preparation and application of ZnO-based composites with high catalytic performance. Firstly, the modification strategies of ZnO by researchers in recent years are reviewed, including non-metal doping, metal doping, noble metal deposition, compounding with semiconductors and other surface modification methods. Subsequently, the applications of photocatalytic ZnO-based composites in biomedicine (antibacterial, anticancer, biosensing, etc.), environmental pollution and other fields in the last five years are presented. Finally, the challenges faced by the future development of ZnO-based composites in various fields are discussed. We hope that this review will provide ideas for the design and development of efficient photocatalysts based on ZnO-based composites in further applications. 

Preparations and applications of zinc oxide based photocatalytic materials

As the greatest defense organ of the body, the skin is exposed to endogenous and external stressors that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). When the antioxidant system of the body fails to eliminate ROS, oxidative stress is initiated, which results in skin cellular senescence, inflammation, and cancer. Two main possible mechanisms underlie oxidative stress-induced skin cellular senescence, inflammation, and cancer. One mechanism is that ROS directly degrade biological macromolecules, including proteins, DNA, and lipids, that are essential for cell metabolism, survival, and genetics. Another one is that ROS mediate signaling pathways, such as MAPK, JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, NF-κB, Nrf2, and SIRT1/FOXO, affecting cytokine release and enzyme expression. As natural antioxidants, plant polyphenols are safe and exhibit a therapeutic potential. We here discuss in detail the therapeutic potential of selected polyphenolic compounds and outline relevant molecular targets. Polyphenols selected here for study according to their structural classification include curcumin, catechins, resveratrol, quercetin, ellagic acid, and procyanidins. Finally, the latest delivery of plant polyphenols to the skin (taking curcumin as an example) and the current status of clinical research are summarized, providing a theoretical foundation for future clinical research and the generation of new pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

/pdf/possible-mechanisms-of-oxidative-stress-induced-skin-vs6yjk28.pdf

Possible Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress-Induced Skin Cellular Senescence, Inflammation, and Cancer and the Therapeutic Potential of Plant Polyphenols

Embracing sustainable practices like photocatalysis for wastewater management is more crucial than ever. Nanotechnology enhances the effectiveness of photocatalysis, and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are considered as a promising photocatalyst with large bandgaps and exciton binding energy, which can be synthesized through green approaches. As wastewater treatment with ZnONPs is deemed self-limiting due to various synthesis approaches, a critical evaluation of its purported benefits is necessary. This review summarized current scientific findings based on both unmodified and modified ZnONPs, primarily synthesized using plant sources as reducing and capping agents. The study highlights areas requiring further research, with many plant extracts having been utilized for ZnONP synthesis. Additionally, various dopants, such as carbon derivatives, metal oxides, N-type semiconductors, and metals, have been employed to modify ZnONPs, enhancing their photocatalytic activity. Investigation into biosynthesized ZnONPs, particularly from plant extracts and waste materials, reveals their significant impact on nanoparticle characteristics, including size reduction and bandgap energy control. Secondary metabolites from plant extracts play crucial roles as stabilizing, reducing, and capping agents. The study highlights the superior effectiveness of modified ZnONPs in photocatalysis compared to unmodified counterparts. Integrating renewable, biodegradable resources in bioinspired ZnO-modified photocatalysts opens new opportunities in green technology, offering potential alternatives for water treatment that are cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The utilization of ZnONPs in photocatalysis, particularly when derived from sustainable sources and modified through eco-friendly approaches, presents a promising avenue for addressing global water purification challenges and contributing to a more sustainable future. 

Green synthesis and photocatalytic insights: A review of zinc oxide nanoparticles in wastewater treatment

Seven novel antioxidant peptides (AWF, LWQ, WIY, YLW, LAYW, LPWG, and LYFY) exhibiting a superior activity compared to trolox were identified through in silico screening. Among these, the four peptides (WIY, YLW, LAYW, and LYFY) displayed notably enhanced performance, with ABTS activity 2.58-3.26 times and ORAC activity 5.19-8.63 times higher than trolox. Quantum chemical calculations revealed that the phenolic hydroxyl group in tyrosine and the nitrogen-hydrogen bond in the indole ring of tryptophan serve as the critical sites for antioxidant activity. These findings likely account for the potent chemical antioxidant activity. The corn peptides also exerted a protective effect against AAPH-induced cytomorphologic changes in human erythrocytes by modulating the antioxidant system. Notably, LAYW exhibited the most pronounced cytoprotective effects, potentially due to its high content of hydrophobic amino acids. 

Identification, in silico selection, and mechanistic investigation of antioxidant peptides from corn gluten meal hydrolysate.

Microbial resources from the human gut may find use in various applications, such as empirical research on the microbiome, the development of probiotic products, and bacteriotherapy. Due to the development of “culturomics”, the number of pure bacterial cultures obtained from the human gut has significantly increased since 2012. However, there is still a considerable number of human gut microbes to be isolated and cultured. Thus, to improve the efficiency of obtaining microbial resources from the human gut, some constraints of the current methods, such as labor burden, culture condition, and microbial targetability, still need to be optimized. Here, we overview the general knowledge and recent development of culturomics for human gut microorganisms. Furthermore, we discuss the optimization of several parts of culturomics including sample collection, sample processing, isolation, and cultivation, which may improve the current strategies.

/pdf/isolation-and-cultivation-of-human-gut-microorganisms-a-2v5kywqq.pdf

Isolation and Cultivation of Human Gut Microorganisms: A Review

As an excellent semiconductor photocatalyst, zinc oxide is widely used in the field of photocatalysis and is regarded as one of the most reliable materials to solve environmental problems. However, because its band gap energy limits the absorption of visible light and reduces the efficiency of catalytic degradation, it needs to be doped with other substances or compounded with other substances and precious metal. This paper summarizes the research on this aspect at home and abroad in recent years, introduces the doping of transition metal ions by zinc oxide, the compounding of zinc oxide with precious metals or other semiconductors, and the prospect of further improving the catalytic efficiency of zno photocatalyst is also put forward.

/pdf/a-study-on-doping-and-compound-of-zinc-oxide-photocatalysts-eexrouyd.pdf

A Study on Doping and Compound of Zinc Oxide Photocatalysts

AYAPE (Ala-Tyr-Ala-Pro-Glu) is a pentapeptide isolated from Isochrysis zhanjiangensis, previous studies have proved that this pentapeptide has antioxidant and inflammatory activities. In this study, we determined the anti-skin aging bioactivity of AYAPE with UVB-induced human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) and H2O2-induced human skin fibroblasts (BJ cells) as models. The results showed that AYAPE against UVB-induced photoaging on HaCaT cells via alleviating DNA damage, reducing intracellular reactive oxygen (ROS) levels, down regulating phosphorylation of proteins in MAPK/AP-1 signaling pathways. In addition, AYAPE attenuated senescence related effectors expression in H2O2-induced BJ cells. Furthermore, p53 showed an important role in regulation effect of AYAPE in both two cells, and AYAPE showed a directly combination with p53 by molecular docking. These results demonstrated that AYAPE is potential to against skin aging by decreasing matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) production, inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis, and attenuating fibroblast senescence. 

Potential anti-skin aging effect of a peptide AYAPE isolated from Isochrysis zhanjiangensis on UVB-induced HaCaT cells and H2O2-induced BJ cells.

Mechanism analysis of octapeptide from microalgae, Isochrysis zhanjiangensis for suppressing vascular injury and angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cell.

In this study, the structural characteristics and active sites of the octapeptide (IIAVEAGC), the pentapeptide (IIAVE) and tripeptide (AGC) were studied in silica and in vitro. The quantum mechanics results show that the pentapeptide has better structural features. In addition, the docking of three peptides with Keap1 was compared through molecular docking, indicating that the potential molecular mechanism may show antioxidant activity by occupying the Nrf2 binding site on Keap1. The above results are consistent with the cell (SH-SY5Y cell) experiment. In the cell experiment, the three peptides can reduce the damage of hydrogen peroxide to cells under a non-toxic effect. Among them, pentapeptide has better activity than the other two peptides, and can inhibit the production of reactive oxygen species and reduce the potential damage to the mitochondrial membrane. Interestingly, these three peptides can promote the nuclear expression of Nrf2 and inhibit the PI3K, MAPK, and NF-κB signaling pathways' corresponding influence, but their influence degree is different. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the structure-activity relationship of the active peptide, and also broaden the field of vision for the application of the polypeptide from the microalgal Isochrysis zhanjiangensis in food.

Comparative in silico and in vitro study of the stability and biological activity of an octapeptide from microalgae Isochrysis zhanjiangensis and its truncated short peptide.

ABSTRACT Transmission of bacterial endospores between the environment and people and the following germination in vivo play critical roles in both the deadly infections of some bacterial pathogens and the stabilization of the commensal microbiotas in humans. Our knowledge about the germination process of different bacteria in the mammalian gut, however, is still very limited due to the lack of suitable tools to visually monitor this process. We proposed a two-step labeling strategy that can image and quantify the endospores’ germination in the recipient’s intestines. Endospores collected from donor’s gut microbiota were first labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and transplanted to mice via gavage. The recipient mice were then administered with Cyanine5-tagged D-amino acid to label all the viable bacteria, including the germinated endospores, in their intestines in situ. The germinated donor endospores could be distinguished by presenting two types of fluorescent signals simultaneously. The integrative use of cell-sorting, 16S rDNA sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) staining of the two-colored bacteria unveiled the taxonomic information of the donor endospores that germinated in the recipient’s gut. Using this strategy, we investigated effects of different germinants and pre-treatment interventions on their germination, and found that germination of different commensal bacterial genera was distinctly affected by various types of germinants. This two-color labeling strategy shows its potential as a versatile tool for visually monitoring endospore germination in the hosts and screening for new interventions to improve endospore-based therapeutics.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19490976.2022.2125737?needAccess=true

Visualizing germination of microbiota endospores in the mammalian gut

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