The impact of fermentation and in vitro digestion on formation angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides from pea proteins

Pea seeds were fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum 299v in monoculture under different time and temperature conditions and the fermented products were digested in vitro under gastrointestinal conditions. After fermentation and digestion ACE inhibitory activity was determined. In all samples after fermentation no ACE inhibitory activity was noted. Potentially antihypertensive peptides were released during in vitro digestion. The highest DH (68.62%) were noted for control sample, although the lowest IC₅₀ value (0.19 mg/ml) was determined for product after 7 days fermentation at 22 °C. The hydrolysate characterised by the highest ACE inhibitory activity was separated on Sephadex G10 and two peptides fractions were obtained. The highest ACE inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 64.04 μg/ml) for the first fraction was noted. This fraction was separated by HPLC and identified by LC–MS/MS and the sequence of peptide derived from pea proteins was determined as KEDDEEEEQGEEE.     

Inhibition of angiotensin I-converting enzyme by wheat gliadin hydrolysates

A tryptic gliadin hydrolysate was fractionated into peptide fractions, which were assigned to either the central domain (CD) or terminal domains (TD) of gliadins. The domains were expected to contain amino acid (AA) sequences which, when released from the parent protein, inhibit the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE), which plays a key role in regulating blood pressure. A proline (Pro) poor TD related fraction, containing the smallest peptides, showed the highest ACE inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 0.33 mg/ml). Additional peptidases were selected based on their in silico predicted ability to release ACE inhibitory peptides. Further hydrolysis of the tryptic hydrolysate fractions with thermolysin, Clarex, Alcalase and Esperase increased ACE inhibitory activities. Immobilised Ni²⁺-ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) purification of a TD related peptide fraction obtained by sequential hydrolysis with trypsin and thermolysin yielded a fraction with an IC₅₀ value of 0.02 mg/ml. This IMAC fraction was enriched in histidine and hydrophobic AA (Pro, Val, Ile, Leu and Phe).     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory properties of lentil protein hydrolysates: Determination of the kinetics of inhibition

ACE inhibitory activity was studied for different hydrolysates obtained from protein concentrates of two lentil varieties by in vitro gastrointestinal simulation, Alcalase/Flavourzyme, papain and bromelain. Protein/peptide profiles studied by electrophoresis and HPLC-SEC showed a rich composition of the hydrolysates in small peptides ranging in size from 0.244 to 1.06 kDa. ACE inhibitory activity was measured using the HPLC Hippuryl-His-Leu (HHL) substrate method. Significantly different (P < 0.05) IC₅₀ values ranging between 0.053 and 0.190 mg/ml were obtained for different hydrolysates. Furthermore, the inhibition mechanism investigated using Lineweaver–Burk plots revealed a non-competitive inhibition of ACE with inhibitor constants (K_i) between 0.16 and 0.46 mg/ml. These results demonstrate that hydrolysates of lentil proteins obtained by different enzymatic digestions may contain bioactive components.     

Purification and identification of ACE inhibitory peptides from Haruan (Channa striatus) myofibrillar protein hydrolysate using HPLC–ESI-TOF MS/MS

Haruan myofibrillar protein was hydrolysed with proteinase K and thermolysin to isolate Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides. The thermolysin hydrolysate of myofibrillar protein with the highest ACE inhibition activity (IC₅₀ = 0.033 mg/ml) was fractionated by ultrafiltration and size exclusion chromatography to three fractions. Fraction F2 with higher ACE inhibitory activity was separated into five fractions (A–E) using reversed-phased high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Fraction C showed 81% inhibition activity and was subjected to HPLC coupled to electrospray ionisation-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF MS/MS). Two peptide sequences for the most abundant fragments were identified as VPAAPPK (IC₅₀ = 0.45 μM) at 791.155 m/z and NGTWFEPP (IC₅₀ = 0.63 μM) at 1085.841 m/z. The presence of two proline residues at the C-terminal sequence is responsible for the high ACE inhibitory activity of these peptides. The results suggest that Haruan meat protein hydrolysate is a potent ACE inhibitor and may be used to decrease blood pressure.     

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of Chinese sufu (fermented tofu) ethanol-extract

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities of commercial sufu and self-produced sufu were investigated in this experiment. The anti-AChE activities of commercial sufu samples of 15 brands, sourcing from various parts of China, and self-produced sufu, fermented with Actinomucor elegans 3.118, were measured. The results indicated that ethanol extract of Chinese sufu exhibited significant inhibitory activity against AChE in vitro. The inhibitory activity of No. 5 sufu was the strongest (IC₅₀, 0.191 mg/ml), while the pre-fermented sufu showed the highest inhibitory activity during sufu manufacturing. In addition, soybean extracts and potato extracts were used to culture A. elegans 3.118 in order to estimate which culture was preferable for the production of these AChE inhibitors. The soybean extracts, after fermentation by A. elegans 3.118, showed higher anti-AChE activity than did the potato extracts. The IC₅₀ of the soybean extracts was 1.29 μg/ml.     

Optimization of sour milk fermentation for the production of ACE-inhibitory peptides and purification of a novel peptide from whey protein hydrolysate

The effect of fermentation conditions on the production of angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide in sour milk fermented by Lactobacillus helveticus LB10 was investigated using response-surface methodology. Optimal conditions to produce the maximum production of ACE-inhibitory peptides were found to be 4% (v/w) inoculum, 7.5 initial pH of medium and 39.0 °C. The fermented milk resulted in 75.46% inhibition in ACE activity. The cell-envelope proteinase, assisted by X-prolyldipeptidyl aminopeptidase of Lb. helveticus LB10 produced the ACE-inhibitory peptides. A novel ACE-inhibitory peptide from whey protein hydrolysate produced by crude proteinases of Lb. helveticus LB10 was purified. The separations were performed with Sephadex^® G-75 and Sephadex G-15 gel filtration chromatography and reversed-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography. The peptide with the RLSFNP sequence was isolated from β-lactoglobulin hydrolysate and its IC₅₀ while inhibiting ACE activity was 177.39 μm.     

Antihypertensive effect of corn peptides,produced by a continuous production in enzymatic membrane reactor,in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The aim of this study was to produce corn peptides (CP) with potent angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity and to investigate antihypertensive effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Results showed that the hydrolysate yield and quality were stable during continuous CP production using an enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR). The hydrolysate was then filtered through a 3 kDa cut-off membrane and the IC₅₀ value of permeate was decreased fourfold (IC₅₀ = 0.29 mg protein/ml). Gastric-intubation CP (M_w < 3 kDa) at a dose of 100 mg/kg bw revealed the best antihypertensive effects in both acute and long-term animal studies using SHRs’ models, the reductions in maximal systolic blood pressure (SBP) were 26.57 mm Hg and 34.45 mm Hg, respectively. Long-term antihypertensive effect of CP administration at a dose of 100 mg/kg bw was comparable to Captopril at 2 mg/kg bw dose. The CP significantly inhibited the ACE activities in SHRs’ lungs and testes (p < 0.01 ∼ p < 0.05) suggesting that these were CP’s target sites.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activity of low-molecular-weight peptides from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) skin

Collagen extracted from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) skin (which is normally discarded in the process of manufacture) was hydrolyzed with Alcalase and papain, and treated by multistage separation. The salmon skin collagen peptides (SSCP) obtained had high protein content (91.20 ± 1.03%) and low molecular weights, 90.79% of which were less than 1000 Da. SSCP was then separated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Eleven major fractions were collected and their angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity was assayed. Fractions 5 and 7 displaying higher ACE inhibitory activity were subjected to mass spectrometer to identify the ACE inhibitory peptides. A total of eleven peptide sequences were identified, and two dipeptides, Ala-Pro and Val-Arg, were selected for further ACE inhibitory activity analysis. The ACE inhibitory activities of Ala-Pro (IC₅₀ = 0.060 ± 0.001 mg/ml) and Val-Arg (IC₅₀ = 0.332 ± 0.005 mg/ml) were found to be approximately 20- and 4-fold higher than that of SSCP (1.165 ± 0.087 mg/ml), respectively.     

Macroporous resin purification of grass carp fish (Ctenopharyngodonidella) scale peptides with in vitro angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory ability

The adsorption dynamics and thermodynamics of grass carp fish scale peptides (FSPs) onto non-polar macroporous resins (MARs), DA201-C, have been investigated. The adsorption of FSPs was affected by time, pH and peptide concentration. The adsorption process followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, and was endothermic (ΔH < 43 kJ/mol). The predominant force in adsorption of FSPs onto DA201-C was hydrophobic. Depending on this force, the dynamic adsorption and gradient desorption results showed that DA201-C resins were good at desalting and enriching peptides with higher contents of hydrophobic amino acids, and these peptides had higher ACE inhibitory capabilities in vitro. The lowest concentration at which the eluted fraction possessed half of its original ACE activity (IC₅₀) was 0.13 mg/ml. The results indicated that fish scale peptides produced showed good ACE-inhibitory effect in vitro and fish scales are a good source of peptides with in vitro ACE inhibitory activity.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme-inhibitory peptide fractions from albumin 1 and globulin as obtained of amaranth grain

A number of biopeptides promoting health benefits have been isolated from food-protein hydrolysates and can be released during enzymatic digestion. Antihypertensive peptides can be part of protein fractions from amaranth grain. The objective of this work was to obtain ACE-inhibitory peptide fractions from albumin 1 and the globulin of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) grain. Albumin 1 and globulin were hydrolysed with alcalase; hydrolysis was monitored by proteolytic degradation and by ACE-inhibitory activity. The highest ACE-inhibitory activity was 40% and 35% as obtained after 18 and 15 h hydrolysis for albumin 1 and globulin, respectively. Further separation and purification of the ACE-inhibitory peptide fractions were carried out by gel filtration and C₁₈ RP–HPLC. The IC₅₀ was 0.35 ± 0.02 mg/ml for albumin 1 peptide fraction and 0.15 ± 0.03 mg/ml for globulin peptide fraction. Albumin 1 peptide fraction showed an competitive mode of ACE inhibition, whereas the globulin peptide fraction was competitive. The globulin peptide fraction may have one of the most active naturally-occurring ACE-inhibitory peptides.     

Effects of physicochemical parameters on the production of phenolic acids from palm oil mill effluent under liquid-state fermentation by Aspergillus niger IBS-103ZA

The present investigation is an effort to develop an environmentally friendly and cost-effective liquid-state fermentation process by introducing a new locally isolated fungal strain of Aspergillus niger (IBS-103ZA) for the production of phenolics from a new source, palm oil mill effluent (POME). Sucrose, manganese sulphate (MnSO₄) and temperature were identified as the most significant variables in improving phenolics production. Optimisation increased the total phenolic content from 856 ± 2.22 to 941 ± 3.72 GAE mg/l at 35.0 °C, 6.0% (w/v) sucrose, 2.7% (w/v) MnSO₄, and with other parameters fixed. The fermented extract (FE) with IC₅₀ value of 0.45 mg/ml showed the strongest antioxidant potency, compared to unfermented extract (UFE), with IC₅₀ of 1.13 mg/ml, and the synthetic antioxidant, BHT, with IC₅₀ of 0.63 mg/ml. The phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor derived from soy protein hydrolysate and produced by using membrane reactor

Five different proteolytic enzymes, including Alcalase, Flavourzyme, trypsin, chymotrypsin and pepsin were employed to hydrolyze isolated soy protein (ISP) to produce the hydrolysates, respectively. The result indicated that hydrolysis of ISP for 0.5–6 h with Alcalase produced the highest ACE inhibitory activity. Therefore, Alcalase was selected for further study on optimization of hydrolysis conditions. The optimum conditions for Alcalase to hydrolyze ISP to produce the lowest IC₅₀ value were: E/S = 0.01, hydrolysis temperature = 50 °C, pH 9.0 and hydrolysis time = 6 h. Under these conditions, the IC₅₀ value of ISP was significantly reduced from 66.4 to 0.67 mg protein/ml. The lower IC₅₀ value represented the higher the ACE inhibitory activity. Moreover, several membranes with molecular weight cut-offs (MWCFs) of 1000–30,000Da were used to filter the hydrolysate. The 10 kDa permeate obtained from the treatment of the hydrolysate by 10,000 Da MWCF membrane could further reduce its IC₅₀ value from 0.668 to 0.078 mg protein/ml with a peptide recovery of 67.5%. An operation stability study showed that the membrane reactor system could maintain a steady production of ISP hydrolysate for over 8 h. The in vitro effect of gastrointestinal protease on ACE inhibitory activity of 10 kDa permeate was also investigated. The results suggested that gastrointestinal proteases have very little effect on the ACE inhibitory activity of 10 kDa permeate.     

Purification and characterisation of angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from lysozyme hydrolysates

Hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) was hydrolysed with trypsin, papain and a combination of the two. The prepared hydrolysates exhibited ACE inhibitory activity. The hydrolysates were fractionated using ultrafiltration and reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Three fractions, which showed the highest ACE inhibitory activities, were purified by RP-HPLC. They were the F₇ (from papain-trypsin hydrolysate), F₈ (from papain hydrolysate) and F₃ (from trypsin hydrolysate) fractions. The IC₅₀ values were 0.03, 0.155 and 0.23 mg/ml for F₇, F₈ and F₃, respectively. The F₇ fraction was the most potent ACE inhibitor peptide, and was composed of 12 amino acids, Phe-Glu-Ser-Asn-Phe-Asn-Thr-Gln-Ala-Thr-Asn-Arg (MW: 1428.6 Da). Lineweaver-Burk plots suggest that the F₇ peptide acts as an uncompetitive inhibitor against ACE. The kinetic parameters (K_m, V_max, and K_i) for the F₇ peptide were measured and compared to the control.     

Chemical characterisation and determination of sensory attributes of hydrolysates produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of whey proteins following a novel integrative process

The overall aim of this work was to characterise the major angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of whey proteins, through the application of a novel integrative process. This process consisted of the combination of adsorption and microfiltration within a stirred cell unit for the selective immobilisation of β-lactoglobulin and casein-derived peptides (CDP) from whey. The adsorbed proteins were hydrolysed in situ, which resulted in the separation of peptide products from the substrate and fractionation of peptides. Two different hydrolysates were produced: (i) from CDP (IC₅₀ = 287 μg/mL) and (ii) from β-lactoglobulin (IC₅₀ = 128 μg/mL). The well-known antihypertensive peptide IPP and several novel peptides that have structural similarities with reported ACE inhibitory peptides were identified and characterised in both hydrolysates. Furthermore, the hydrolysates were assessed for bitterness. No significant difference was found between the bitterness of the control (milk with no hydrolysate) and hydrolysate samples at different concentrations (at, below and above the IC₅₀).     

Comparison of analytical methods to assay inhibitors of angiotensin I-converting enzyme

The linearity, precision and repeatability of visible spectrophotometric (VSP) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods for analysis of inhibitory activity of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) were compared by using several inhibitors and Hip-His-Leu (HHL) as substrates. IC₅₀ values (concentration at which ACE activity is inhibited by 50%) of 0.00206 ± 0.00005 μg/mL for captopril, 192 ± 4.53 μg/mL for soybean peptides, and 153 ± 4.29 μg/mL for grass carp peptides determined by the VSP method, and these values were 1.07, 1.07, 1.18 and 1.44-fold, respectively, higher than those from the HPLC method. In addition, the inhibitory constant (K_i value) of captopril was determined to be 7.09 nM and 4.94 nM using VSP and HPLC method, respectively. These results showed that the HPLC method revealed a higher level of sensitivity and precision, suitable for assaying ACE inhibition activity of antihyper-sensitive peptides. In contrast, the VSP method can simultaneously measure several samples with simple operations, suitable for analysis of ACE inhibition activity of food protein enzymatic hydrolysates.     

Characterisation of a new antihypertensive angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptide from Pleurotus cornucopiae

This study describes the characterisation of a new angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide from the fruiting body of Pleurotus cornucopiae which could be used as a functional food or nutraceutical compounds. After purification of the ACE inhibitor in an ultrafiltration, Sephadex G-25 column chromatography, successively C₁₈ and SCX solid-phase extraction and reverse-phase HPLC, two types of the purified ACE inhibitors with IC₅₀ values of 0.46 and 1.14 mg/ml were obtained. The two purified ACE inhibitors were analysed, showing two types of oligopeptides. The amino acid sequences of the two purified oligopeptides were found to be RLPSEFDLSAFLRA and RLSGQTIEVTSEYLFRH. The molecular mass of the purified ACE inhibitors was estimated to be 1622.85 and 2037.26 Da, respectively. Water extracts of P. cornucopiae fruiting body showed a clear antihypertensive effect on spontaneously hypertensive rats at a dosage of 600 mg/kg.     

ACE inhibitory and hydrolytic enzyme activities in textured vegetable protein in relation to the solid state fermentation period using Bacillus subtilis HA

Textured vegetable protein (TVP) was fermented by solid-state fermentation using Bacillus subtilis HA and production of biologically active compounds were examined with fermentation time. The TVP fermented resulted in the highest protease activity at 48 hr, where as α-amylase activity was the highest at 24 hr. During the fermentation the peptide and tyrosine content increases drastically and then it decrease gradually after 48 hr. The fast protein transition to low molecular peptides in early fermentation period was confirmed with sodium dedecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis. Fibrinolytic enzyme activity proportionately increased with the fermentation time and the highest enzyme activity was 25.2 unit/g after fermentation for 120 hr. In the evaluation of ACE inhibitory effect, IC₅₀ value of fermented TVP and its crude peptides was similar with 2.19 and 1.21 mg/mL, respectively. Peptide fraction below 3,000 Da showed 0.5 mg/mL of IC₅₀ value. The peptide fraction (III) with molecular weight of 500–999 Da separated from SEC was consisted of 7 amino acids, indicated 0.094 mg/mL of IC₅₀ value which is 23 times higher than the fermented TVP.     

Antioxidative and ACE inhibitory activities in enzymatic hydrolysates of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis

The larvae of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, were used as a source of food proteins exerting possible biological activities. A simulated gastrointestinal digestion (IC₅₀ = 320 μg/ml) and digestion by mucosal enzymes (IC₅₀ = 211 μg/ml) reveals a significantly higher in vitro ACE inhibitory activity compared to hydrolysis using thermolysin (IC₅₀ = 1392 μg/ml) and alcalase (IC₅₀ = 827 μg/ml) as pretreatment. This indicates that the choice of enzymes to generate ACE inhibitory peptides is important. All hydrolysates were also tested for antioxidant activity using two tests: a radical scavenging test using DPPH and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and they showed a similar antioxidant activity which was relatively low compared to the standard antioxidants BHT and vitamin C. As a conclusion, the data obtained suggest that insect protein can be used to generate hydrolysates, exerting both ACE inhibitory and antioxidant activity, which might be incorporated as multifunctional ingredient into functional foods.     

Antimicrobial and human cancer cell cytotoxic effect of synthetic angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides

Four peptides with high angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effect were separated from beef sarcoplasmic protein hydrolysates using commercial enzymes. They were identified as GFHI, DFHING, FHG, and GLSDGEWQ and their 50% inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) values against ACE were 117, 64.3, 52.9, and 50.5 μg/ml, respectively. These peptides were synthesised and further biological activities of these four peptides were measured, including antimicrobial, cytotoxic effect against cancer cells, and macrophage-stimulating effect. Peptide GLSDGEWQ showed growth inhibition on Salmonella Typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes at a 100 ppm level but not on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Peptide GFHI showed higher inhibition activity on the growth of E. coli and P. aeruginosa at concentrations of 200 and 400 μg/ml. However, peptide FHG inhibited only P. aeruginosa at 200 and 400 μg/ml. The effect of separated peptides on breast cancer (MCF-7), lung cancer (A549), and stomach cancer (AGS) cell viability was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Peptide GFHI showed a slight decrease of MCF-7 cell viability in a dose dependent manner. When 400 μg/ml of peptide GFHI was applied to the AGS cell, its viability was decreased by 75%. However, peptide DFHINQ seemed to act as a nutrient to AGS cell because it increased its viability. None of the four peptides had a cytotoxic effect on A549 cells. Nitric oxide (NO) production of peptide GFHI by stimulation of macrophage was investigated at 100, 300, and 1000 μg/ml concentration. NO was not produced in all treatments. From these results it is expected that the ACE inhibitory peptides identified from beef sarcoplasmic protein hydrolysates have both antimicrobial and cancer cell cytotoxic effects.     

Biologically active peptides obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of Adzuki bean seeds

This study investigated the antioxidant and antihypertensive activities of peptides obtained from protein fractions of Adzuki bean seeds. Peptides were obtained by the use of hydrolytic enzymes in vitro under gastrointestinal conditions. A determination was made of the activity of the peptide inhibitors of the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE), and the antiradical and ion chelating activity of peptides from different protein fractions. The highest peptide levels after the absorption process (<7 kDa) were noted in the albumin fraction (50.69 μg/ml). Furthermore, it was found that peptides from the prolamin fraction were characterised by the highest antiradical activity and ACE inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 0.17 mg/ml). Peptides obtained from the globulin fraction showed the highest ability to chelate iron ions, and peptides from the glutelin fraction were characterised as being the most effective in the chelation of copper ions.