Scholarlink

Purpose <p>Mitochondrial quality control is essential for cellular homeostasis, and mitophagy is a decisive process for removing dysfunctional mitochondria. Food-derived bioactive peptides (BAPs) are potential modulators of this pathway, with possible relevance to metabolic disorders, aging, and neurodegeneration. This review critically evaluates recent literature on the molecular mechanisms through which BAPs influence mitophagy.</p> Methods <p>This review examines peptides from plant, animal, and marine sources and their reported effects on the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin signaling axis and receptor-mediated mitophagy pathways, including FUNDC1, NIX, and BNIP3. It also considers peptide production and discovery strategies, from enzymatic hydrolysis to artificial intelligence-enabled approaches, while assessing their methodological limitations.</p> Results <p> Several peptides, including those derived from walnut, corn, soy, milk, egg, loach, and sea cucumber, reportedly alter mitochondrial function and mitophagy-related markers in cell, animal, and computational models. However, most studies rely on indirect readouts such as changes in protein expression, phosphorylation status, mitochondrial membrane potential, or oxidative stress rather than direct evidence of peptide-target engagement or mitogenic flux. Major issues include frequent conflation of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory effects with true mitophagy modulation, poor oral bioavailability, tissue-specific variability, limited human validation, and inconsistent experimental design, including pseudo-replication in some reports.</p> Conclusion <p> Food-derived peptides represent a promising but still immature class of mitophagy modulators. Future progress will depend on rigorous flux-based assays, standardized experimental design, structure-activity mapping, improved delivery systems, and clinically relevant validation of efficacy and safety. These advances will be essential for translating peptide discoveries into functional foods, nutricosmetics, and other evidence-based applications.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Food-Derived Peptides as Potential Modulators of Mitophagy

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月30日

查看全文
  • Chunhong Liu,
  • Chaoling Wen,
  • Opeyemi Joshua Olatunji,
  • Tolulope Joshua Ashaolu

摘要

Purpose

Mitochondrial quality control is essential for cellular homeostasis, and mitophagy is a decisive process for removing dysfunctional mitochondria. Food-derived bioactive peptides (BAPs) are potential modulators of this pathway, with possible relevance to metabolic disorders, aging, and neurodegeneration. This review critically evaluates recent literature on the molecular mechanisms through which BAPs influence mitophagy.

Methods

This review examines peptides from plant, animal, and marine sources and their reported effects on the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin signaling axis and receptor-mediated mitophagy pathways, including FUNDC1, NIX, and BNIP3. It also considers peptide production and discovery strategies, from enzymatic hydrolysis to artificial intelligence-enabled approaches, while assessing their methodological limitations.

Results

Several peptides, including those derived from walnut, corn, soy, milk, egg, loach, and sea cucumber, reportedly alter mitochondrial function and mitophagy-related markers in cell, animal, and computational models. However, most studies rely on indirect readouts such as changes in protein expression, phosphorylation status, mitochondrial membrane potential, or oxidative stress rather than direct evidence of peptide-target engagement or mitogenic flux. Major issues include frequent conflation of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory effects with true mitophagy modulation, poor oral bioavailability, tissue-specific variability, limited human validation, and inconsistent experimental design, including pseudo-replication in some reports.

Conclusion

Food-derived peptides represent a promising but still immature class of mitophagy modulators. Future progress will depend on rigorous flux-based assays, standardized experimental design, structure-activity mapping, improved delivery systems, and clinically relevant validation of efficacy and safety. These advances will be essential for translating peptide discoveries into functional foods, nutricosmetics, and other evidence-based applications.