A Multifunctional Trypsin Protease Inhibitor from Yellow Bell Pepper Seeds
Fungal infections are a growing public health concern worldwide and the emergence of antifungal resistance has limited the number of therapeutic options. Therefore, developing novel strategies for identifying and developing new antifungal compounds is an active area of research in the pharmaceutical...
| Authors: | ; ; ; ; ; ; |
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| Format: | Article |
| Publication date: | 2023 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Repository: | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| Language: | English |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ddd.uab.cat:281956 |
| Online Access: | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/281956 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics15030781 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Antifungal Bioactive compound Bioactive peptide Capsicum annuum L. Candida albicans Protease Protease inhibitor Phytocystatin Trypsin inhibitor Natural product |
| Summary: | Fungal infections are a growing public health concern worldwide and the emergence of antifungal resistance has limited the number of therapeutic options. Therefore, developing novel strategies for identifying and developing new antifungal compounds is an active area of research in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, we purified and characterized a trypsin protease inhibitor obtained from Yellow Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds. The inhibitor not only showed potent and specific activity against the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans, but was also found to be non-toxic against human cells. Furthermore, this inhibitor is unique in that it also inhibits α-1,4-glucosidase, positioning it as one of the first plant-derived protease inhibitors with dual biological activity. This exciting discovery opens new avenues for the development of this inhibitor as a promising antifungal agent and highlights the potential of plant-derived protease inhibitors as a rich source for the discovery of novel multifunctional bioactive molecules. |
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