Highly Soluble Mussel Foot Protein Enhances Antioxidant Defense and Cytoprotection via PI3K/Akt and Nrf2/HO-1 Pathways

作者：Na Li, Jiren Xu, Bo-Heng Liu, Jeevithan Elango, Wenhui Wu · 发表于：Antioxidants · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/antiox14060644 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Research、Biological Research and Disease Studies、Autophagy in Disease and Therapy

Mussel foot protein is a bioadhesive protein with potential biomedical applications, but its limited solubility and poor biological stability hinder its widespread use. In this study, highly soluble mussel foot protein (HMFP) was successfully extracted using a stepwise selective enzymatic digestion method, with a molecular weight in the range of 11–17 kDa. Furthermore, a dual-functional polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivative of HMFP, designated HMFP-PEG, was synthesized. FTIR analysis confirmed the successful modification of HMFP with PEG, while TGA analysis and SEM observations demonstrated that PEG modification significantly enhanced the stability of the protein. Both HMFP and HMFP-PEG effectively scavenged free radicals, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduced MDA levels. Additionally, they activated the PI3K/Akt and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways, inhibiting H2O2-induced cell apoptosis. Notably, HMFP-PEG exhibited superior antioxidant and cell-protective effects compared to HMFP, suggesting that PEG modification improves the functional stability of the protein. This study provides theoretical support for the potential application of HMFP in the biomedical and tissue engineering fields.