Summary

High potency, specificity and a good safety profile are the main strengths of bioactive peptides as new and promising therapies that may fill the gap between small molecules and protein drugs. These positive attributes of peptides, along with advances in drug delivery technologies, have contributed to a renewed interest in the discovery, optimization and development of peptides as pharmacological therapy. The entry collection aims to cover all aspects of peptide research in relation to health promotion.

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Topic Review
Glutathione System in Pathogenic Fungi
The glutathione system has been recognized as one of the most important intracellular antioxidant systems; however, the contribution of this system in pathogenesis has been neglected, especially in human fungal pathogens. 
  • 763
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Willardiine and Its Analogues
Willardiine was first identified by Rolf Gimelin in 1959 from the extracts of seeds of Acacia willardiana. Structurally it corresponds to (2S)-2-amino-3-(2,4-dioxopyrimidin-1-yl)propanoic acid (1) and carrying an uracil moiety it can be ascribed to the category of nucleoamino acids. Willardiine is synthesized by the single specific enzyme uracilylalanine synthase, and the N–heterocyclic moiety uracil obtained by the orotate pathway proved to be an effective bioisostere for the distal carboxyl group of L-glutamate. Different  aspects on both chemistry and biotechnological applications of willardine/willardine-analogues and nucleopeptides will be reviewed herein.
  • 531
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Health Promotion Effects of Dietary Pterostilbene
Pterostilbene (PTS), a natural analog of resveratrol is a compound most abundantly found in blueberries. PTS is produced by several plant species such as peanuts and grapes. While resveratrol has been extensively studied for its antioxidant properties, recent evidence also points out the diverse therapeutic potential of PTS. Several studies have identified the robust pharmacodynamic features of PTS, including better intestinal absorption and elevated hepatic stability than resveratrol. Indeed, due to its higher bioavailability paired with reduced toxicity compared to other stilbenes, PTS has become an attractive drug candidate for the treatment of several disease conditions, including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, COVID-19 and aging. 
  • 701
  • 17 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Anti-Cancer Effects of Atrial Natriuretic Peptides
The atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a cardiovascular hormone, plays a pivotal role in the homeostatic control of blood pressure, electrolytes, and water balance and is approved to treat congestive heart failure. In addition, there is a growing realization that ANPs might be related to immune response and tumor growth. The anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects of ANPs in the tissue microenvironment are mediated through autocrine or paracrine mechanisms, which further suppress tumorigenesis. In cancers, ANPs show anti-proliferative effects through several molecular pathways. Furthermore, ANPs attenuate the side effects of cancer therapy. Therefore, ANPs act on several hallmarks of cancer, such as inflammation, angiogenesis, sustained tumor growth, and metastasis. 
  • 655
  • 12 Oct 2022
Topic Review
The Relaxin-3 Receptor in Aging-Related Disease
During the aging process human's body becomes less well equipped to deal with cellular stress, resulting in an increase in unrepaired damage. This causes varying degrees of impaired functionality and an increased risk of mortality. One of the most effective anti-aging strategies involves interventions that combine simultaneous glucometabolic support with augmented DNA damage protection/repair. Thus, it seems prudent to develop therapeutic strategies that target this combinatorial approach. Studies have shown that the ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) GTPase activating protein GIT2 (GIT2) acts as a keystone protein in the aging process. GIT2 can control both DNA repair and glucose metabolism. Through in vivo co-regulation analyses it was found that GIT2 forms a close co-expression based relationship with the relaxin-3 receptor (RXFP3). Cellular RXFP3 expression is directly affected by DNA damage and oxidative stress. Overexpression or stimulation of this receptor, by its endogenous ligand relaxin 3 (RLN3), can regulate the DNA damage response and repair processes. Interestingly, RLN3 is an insulin-like peptide and has been shown to control multiple disease processes linked to aging mechanisms, e.g., anxiety, depression, memory dysfunction, appetite, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.
  • 718
  • 27 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Overview of Marine Bioactive Peptides against HIV
Marine bioactive peptides (MBAPs) that are present in many marine species, including fish, sponges, cyanobacteria, fungi, ascidians, seaweeds, and mollusks, have gained widespread attention for their health-promoting benefits. MBAPs obtained from marine species have ameliorating potential against many health conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, HIV, cancer, oxidation, and inflammation. Various research studies have indicated that MBAPs can be utilized as novel lead structures for the treatment of HIV in conjunction with pharmaceuticals and functional foods owing to their potential therapeutic, and antiretroviral (ARV) activities.
  • 838
  • 31 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Bioactive Antimicrobial Peptides
Among the biomolecules of emerging scientific interest are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), potent biomolecules that can potentially act as important weapons against infectious diseases. Moreover, synthetic AMPs are easily tailored (bioinformatically) to target specific features of the pathogens to hijack, inducing no or very low resistance. 
  • 812
  • 17 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Marine Arthropods
Peptide therapeutics play a key role in the development of new medical treatments. The traditional focus on endogenous peptides has shifted from first discovering other natural sources of these molecules, to later synthesizing those with unique bioactivities. Marine arthropods do not have an adaptive immune system, and therefore, they depend on the innate immune system to eliminate pathogens. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with unique characteristics are a pivotal part of the defense systems of these organisms.
  • 450
  • 17 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Twentieth-Century Paleoproteomics
Proteomics methods can identify amino acid sequences in fossil proteins, thus making it possible to determine the ascription or proximity of a fossil to other species. Before mass spectrometry was used to study fossil proteins, earlier studies used antibodies to recognize their sequences. 
  • 413
  • 16 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Weakness and Sarcopenia
Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW) brings about skeletal muscle wasting due to critical illness and has important clinical implications, significantly impacting rehabilitation, and increasing both morbidity and mortality. ICUAW is sometimes referred to as critical illness polyneuromyopathy—being called critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) when nerve involvement predominates, or critical illness myopathy (CIM) where muscle involvement is crucial. It manifests as muscle weakness that develops rapidly, prior to any detectable muscle wasting. 
  • 642
  • 10 Aug 2022
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