Mei Li

In this study, the effects of enzymolysis on physicochemical properties, digestive characteristics, and flora regulation of the meal replacement powder (MRP) were investigated on the basis of the previously obtained compound MRP. The results showed that the color, water absorption index, and water solubility index of the MRP were obviously improved after enzymatic hydrolysis. The swelling power (1.43 ± 0.11 g/g, 25 °C) and water-holding capacity (4.66 ± 0.09 g/g) of the MRP (CE_1) were decreased, while the oil holding capacity (2.14 ± 0.13 g/g) was increased. In the microcosmic aspect, the samples treated by enzymolysis had different degree of degradation, the particle size decreased (D50 = 57.71 μm), and the specific surface area (679.2 cm²/g) increased. The MRP samples treated by enzymolysis had better antioxidant capacity and cholate adsorption capacity. All MRP samples belong to low glycemic index (GI) foods, and can improve gut microbiota (Megamonas, Bacteroides, Rocheella, Parasatre, Koalabacterium, and Prasus) and promote the production of short chain fatty acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid. Therefore, this study not only further expands the comprehensive utilization of Aronia melanocarpa, but also provides a reference for the diversification of low GI related products.

Lactobacilli, as the main member of food microorganisms, is an important component of the intestinal microbial community and plays crucial roles in regulating the immune capacity of the body. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of the key components of Lactobacilli-mediated immune regulation effects, including the immunogenic components (peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid) and metabolites (short-chain fatty acids, bacteriocins, and exopolysaccharides), which can interact with host immune cell receptors to initiate complex immune signaling pathways. In addition, the immunomodulatory activity can be influenced by multiple factors including species differences, host-related factors (age, physiological conditions, and gut microbiota), and environmental factors (nutrient substrates, temperatures, etc.), and the application strategies including precision probiotic development, gene-editing driven engineering, and nanocarrier systems have also been proposed to enhance the immunomodulatory potential. Finally, this review provides the theoretical basis for microbial intervention in immune-related diseases and offers prospects for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

In this study, a novel low molecular weight of acetylaminoglucan (AGA) was obtained and its antitumor activity on H22 tumor-bearing mice was investigated. The results of UV, HPLC and FT-IR showed that AGA present high purity with low molecular weight of 2.76 × 10³ Da. Animal experiments showed that AGA could inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells in H22 tumor-bearing mice by protecting the immune organs, enhancing the phagocytosis ability of macrophages, killing activity of NK cells and proliferation capacity of lymphocytes, improving the levels of cytokines in vivo and regulating the distribution of lymphocyte subsets, and the tumor inhibition rate reached to 52.74% (50 mg/kg). Cell cycle determination further indicated that AGA could induce apoptosis of tumor cells and arrests it in S phase. These results will provide a data basis for the potential application of AGA in pharmaceutical industry.