Identification of multifunctional peptides from human milk

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Food Science and Nutrition

Background:

• Growing interest in multifunctional bioactive peptides for healthcare applications.
• Milk proteins and peptides are recognized for their health-enhancing properties, suitable for nutraceuticals and functional foods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fractionate, purify, and identify bioactive peptides from human milk.
• To evaluate the multifunctional roles (antimicrobial, antioxidant, growth stimulation) of these peptides.
• To explore the potential of identified peptides as biotechnological products for the nutraceutical industry.

Main Methods:

• Fractionation and purification of 24 peptides from human milk using RP-HPLC.
• Evaluation of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cell growth-stimulating activities.
• Proteomic approach for peptide identification and in silico analysis for mechanism of action.

Main Results:

• Two peptides, lactoferrin-derived (f8, arginine-rich) and kappa casein-derived (f12, proline-rich), exhibited combined bioactivities.
• Both peptides demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
• Peptide f8 showed growth-stimulating activity in 3T3 cells, while f12 displayed significant free radical scavenging activity.

Conclusions:

• Identified human milk peptides possess multiple biological activities beneficial for infant development.
• These peptides hold promise as valuable biotechnological products for the nutraceutical industry.