The effects of angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptide VGINYW and the hydrolysate of α-lactalbumin on blood pressure, oxidative stress and gut microbiota of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Food Funct. 2022 Mar 7;13(5):2743-2755. doi: 10.1039/d1fo03570c.

Abstract

VGINYW is a highly active angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide discovered from α-lactalbumin by an in vitro-in silico high throughput screening strategy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antihypertensive effect of the peptide and the α-lactalbumin hydrolysates under 3 kDa (LH-3k), and illustrate the possible mechanism in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). SHRs were administered with VGINYW and LH-3k at doses of 5 mg per kg BW and 100 mg per kg BW, respectively. VGINYW and LH-3k could markedly decrease the systolic blood pressure (SBP) of the SHRs, and the maximal drops of 21 mmHg (2 h after administration) and 17 mmHg (4 h after administration) were achieved during the 8 hour test, respectively. When the agents were given once per day for 4 weeks, they caused a long-term decrease of 16 mmHg of SBP. VGINYW and LH-3k control the blood pressure through regulating the renin-angiotensin system by inhibiting the ACE activity and diminishing the angiotensin II level, and further upregulating the expression levels of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and angiotensin type 2 receptor, and downregulating the expression of the angiotensin type 1 receptor. VGINYW and LH-3k could notably ameliorate the oxidative stress in the SHR as well. It is more important that the gavage of VGINYW and LH-3k could alleviate hypertension-associated intestinal microbiota dysbiosis by recovering the diversity of the gut microbiota and altering the key floras which are short chain fatty acid producers. In conclusion, VGINYW and LH-3k are effective functional ingredients for blood pressure control.

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Antihypertensive Agents / chemistry
  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects
  • Hypertension / prevention & control
  • Lactalbumin*
  • Male
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Protein Hydrolysates / chemistry
  • Protein Hydrolysates / pharmacology*
  • Protein Hydrolysates / therapeutic use
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred SHR
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms

Substances

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Protein Hydrolysates
  • Lactalbumin