Hypocholesterolemic Effect of Potent Peptide and Bioactive Fraction from Pigeon Pea By-Products in Wistar Rats

Pulse Proteins and Their Hydrolysates: A Comprehensive Review of Their Beneficial Effects on Metabolic Syndrome and the Gut Microbiome

Pulses, as an important part of the human diet, can act as a source of high-quality plant proteins. Pulse proteins and their hydrolysates have shown promising results in alleviating metabolic syndrome and modulating the gut microbiome. Their bioactivities have become a focus of research, with many new findings added in recent studies. This paper comprehensively reviews the anti-hypertension, anti-hyperglycemia, anti-dyslipidemia and anti-obesity bioactivities of pulse proteins and their hydrolysates in recent in vitro and in vivo studies, which show great potential for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. In addition, pulse proteins and their hydrolysates can regulate the gut microbiome, which in turn can have a positive impact on the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of some pulse proteins and their hydrolysates on metabolic syndrome have been supported by clinical studies. This review might provide a reference for the application of pulse proteins and their hydrolysates in functional foods or nutritional supplements for people with metabolic syndrome.

Novel Hypocholesterolemic Peptides Derived from Silver Carp Muscle: The Modulatory Effects on Enterohepatic Cholesterol Metabolism In Vitro and In Vivo

This research aimed to investigate the effect of silver carp hydrolysates (SCHs) on hypercholesterolemia and enterohepatic cholesterol metabolism. Results showed that in vitro gastrointestinal digestion products of Alcalase-SCH (GID-Alcalase) exhibited the highest inhibitory activity of cholesterol absorption mainly through downregulating the expression of essential genes related to cholesterol transport in a Caco-2 monolayer. After being absorbed by the Caco-2 monolayer, GID-Alcalase increased the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake in HepG2 cells by enhancing the protein level of the LDL receptor (LDLR). The in vivo experiment showed that long-term intervention of Alcalase-SCH ameliorated hypercholesterolemia in ApoE^-/- mice fed with a Western diet (WD). After transepithelial transport, four novel peptides (TKY, LIL, FPK, and IAIM) were identified, and these peptides possessed dual hypocholesterolemic functions including inhibition of cholesterol absorption and promotion of peripheric LDL uptake. Our results indicated for the first time the potential of SCHs as functional food ingredients for the management of hypercholesterolemia.

A Lupinus angustifolius protein hydrolysate exerts hypocholesterolemic effects in Western diet-fed ApoE-/- mice through the modulation of LDLR and PCSK9 pathways

Lupin protein hydrolysates (LPHs) are gaining attention in the food and nutraceutical industries due to their several beneficial health effects. Recently, we have shown that LPH treatment reduces liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels in hypercholesterolemic mice. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of LPH treatment on the molecular mechanism underlying liver cholesterol metabolism in ApoE^-/- mice fed the Western diet. After identifying the composition of the peptide within the LPH mixture and determining its ability to reduce HMGCoAR activity in vitro, its effect on the LDLR and PCSK9 pathways was measured in liver tissue from the same mice. Thus, the LPH reduced the protein levels of HMGCoAR and increased the phosphorylated inactive form of HMGCoAR and the pHMGCoAR/HMGCoAR ratio, which led to the deactivation of de novo cholesterol synthesis. Furthermore, the LPH decreased the protein levels of SREBP2, a key upstream transcription factor involved in the expression of HMGCoAR and LDLR. Consequently, LDLR protein levels decreased in the liver of LPH-treated animals. Interestingly, the LPH also increased the protein levels of pAMPK responsible for HMGCoAR phosphorylation. Furthermore, the LPH controlled the PSCK9 signal pathway by decreasing its transcription factor, the HNF1-α protein. Consequently, lower PSCK9 protein levels were found in the liver of LPH-treated mice. This is the first study elucidating the molecular mechanism at the basis of the hypocholesterolemic effects exerted by the LPH in an in vivo model. All these findings point out LPHs as a future lipid-lowering ingredient to develop new functional foods.