One of the goals of biomedical sciences is to search and identify natural compounds that are safe, have no side effects, and possess immunostimulatory activity. It has been proven that medicines of natural origin can be effective agents, supporting the therapy of many diseases, not only in the weakened immune system of the body but also in the prevention of many diseases in healthy people. It has been shown that yolkin, a polypeptide complex isolated from hen egg yolk as a fraction accompanying immunoglobulin Y (IgY), possesses potential biological activity. However, the mechanism of its action has not been explained. The objective of this investigation was to examine the molecular mechanisms of innate immune response, activated in response to yolkin, in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). It was shown that yolkin induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-kinases (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and upregulated expression and production of type I interferons, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor α), and nitric oxide (NO), in BMDM cells. Using pharmacological inhibitors of ERK 1/2 and JNK kinases, we revealed that the JNK signaling cascade is required for yolkin-induced inducible NOS expression and upregulation of NO production in mouse macrophages. Using the TLR4-deficient BMDM cell line, we established that yolkin can activate macrophages in a TLR4-dependent manner. It was also shown that NO, TNF-α, and type I IFNs (α/β) produced by BMDM cells in response to yolkin triggered antiviral activity. These data indicate that yolkin affects the regulation of the immune system and antiviral response; therefore, it can be used as an effective immunostimulator of the innate immunity or as a supplement of the conventional therapy of immunodeficiency.

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Edited by Jesus AvilaKeywords: Amyloid b1-42 aggregation Inhibition Colostral nanopeptide Alzheimer's disease a b s t r a c t A colostral proline-rich polypeptide complex (PRP) consisting of over 30 peptides shows beneficial effects in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients when administered in the form of sublinqual tablets called Colostrinin. The aim of the present studies was to investigate whether nanopeptide fragment of PRP (NP) -one of the PRP complex components can affect aggregation of amyloid b (Ab1-42). The effect of NP on Ab aggregation was studied using Thioflavin T (ThT) binding, atomic force microscopy, and analyzing circular dichroism spectra. Results presented suggest that NP can directly interact with amyloid beta, inhibit its aggregation and disrupt existing aggregates acting as a b sheet breaker and reduce toxicity induced by aggregated forms of Ab.