Design and Synthesis of Novel Peptides to Protect Ferulic Acid against Ultraviolet Radiation Based on Domain Site IIA of Bovine Serum Albumin

Abstract

Ferulic acid (FA) is known for its excellent antioxidant properties, which can provide many health benefits. One of its drawbacks is its instability under UVA light, which limits its potency. In this study, the new peptides LW2 (QNKRFYFRKNQ) and CW2 (a cyclic form of LW2) were designed based on bovine serum albumin site IIA conformation. A UVA irradiation experiment was performed to investigate the protective ability of these peptides towards FA against UVA damage. The percentages of FA remaining under UV irradiation due to the protection of CW2 and LW2 were 83% and 76%, respectively. The results showed the importance of the cationic residues and hydrophobic residues included in the peptide sequences. Moreover, the cyclic rigid structure showed greater protective ability as compared to its linear counterpart.