Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism of Walnut Meal Peptide/ Ellagic Acid Nanoparticles on LPS-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells by Inhibition of NF-B and MAPK Activation

The combined use of walnut meal peptides and ellagic acid demonstrated synergistic anti-inflammatory properties, which could be enhanced through encapsulation into nanoparticles to enhance their bioavailability. However, the specific anti-inflammatory mechanism of these nanoparticles remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of nanoparticles composed of walnut meal peptides and ellagic acid using ELISA, Western Blot, and qRT-PCR techniques. The ELISA results revealed a significantly reduction in the secretion of nitric oxide and inflammatory factors upon treatment with the nanoparticles. Besides, the findings from the qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in the mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 cells following treatment with the nanoparticles. Additionally, the Western Blot results indicated that the nanoparticles exerted inhibitory effects on the upstream signaling pathway of nuclear factor kappa-B and modulated the mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway, resulting in the suppression of inflammatory factor expression. This study contributes to the foundational understanding of the potential application of these nanoparticles as anti-inflammatory agents in the context of health food.