Zhang Mengmeng, Mai Xiang, Yang Shanghua, Huang Yuhua, Zhang Lina, Ren Wenbin, Bai Weidong, Xin Xuan, Zhao Wenhong, Hao Lisha
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Enineering, Dongsha Street 24, Guangzhou 510225, China.
College of Light Industry and Food Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Dongsha Street 24, Guangzhou 510225, China.
Foods. 2025 Jul 1;14(13):2338. doi: 10.3390/foods14132338.
Earthworms are valued as a dietary protein source in many regions. Earthworm protein can yield bioactive peptides, but enzymatic hydrolysis is inefficient by commercial proteases, and bioactivity development is still inadequate. This study developed a novel efficient method for degrading earthworm protein and investigated the lipid-lowering activity and mechanism of earthworm peptides. It was found that combining autolysis and alcalase exhibited a higher hydrolysis degree of earthworm protein of 43.64 ± 0.78% compared to using autolysis or alcalase only. The hydrolysate significantly reduced lipid accumulation in steatotic hepatocytes. LC-MS/MS results showed that the primary lipid-lowering peptides (EWPs) in the hydrolysate were small molecule peptides with molecular weights of 500-1000 Da and chain lengths of 4-7 amino acid residues. Western blot results demonstrated that EWP regulated the expression of lipid metabolism-related proteins, including APOC3, HMGCR, PCSK9, SREBP1, C/EBP-α, NPC1L1, PPAR-γ, and CYP7A1. Transcriptomic analysis and validation experiments indicated that the lipid-lowering activity of EWP was associated with its suppression of inflammatory factors, such as IL-6. This study presents an efficient enzymatic hydrolysis strategy for earthworm protein utilization, laying the foundation for its application in functional foods such as protein supplements, nutraceutical capsules, hypoallergenic infant formulas, and sports nutrition products.
蚯蚓在许多地区被视为一种膳食蛋白质来源。蚯蚓蛋白可以产生生物活性肽,但商业蛋白酶进行酶解的效率较低,且生物活性的开发仍不充分。本研究开发了一种新型高效的蚯蚓蛋白降解方法,并研究了蚯蚓肽的降脂活性及其机制。研究发现,与仅使用自溶或碱性蛋白酶相比,自溶与碱性蛋白酶相结合对蚯蚓蛋白的水解程度更高,达到了43.64±0.78%。水解产物显著降低了脂肪变性肝细胞中的脂质积累。液相色谱-串联质谱(LC-MS/MS)结果表明,水解产物中的主要降脂肽(EWP)是分子量为500-1000 Da、氨基酸残基链长度为4-7的小分子肽。蛋白质免疫印迹结果表明,EWP调节脂质代谢相关蛋白的表达,包括载脂蛋白C3(APOC3)、3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(HMGCR)、前蛋白转化酶枯草溶菌素9(PCSK9)、固醇调节元件结合蛋白1(SREBP1)、CCAAT/增强子结合蛋白α(C/EBP-α)、尼曼匹克C1样蛋白1(NPC1L1)、过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ(PPAR-γ)和细胞色素P450 7A1(CYP7A1)。转录组分析和验证实验表明,EWP的降脂活性与其对炎症因子如白细胞介素-6(IL-6)的抑制作用有关。本研究提出了一种高效的蚯蚓蛋白酶解策略,为其在蛋白质补充剂、营养胶囊、低敏婴儿配方奶粉和运动营养产品等功能性食品中的应用奠定了基础。
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