Identification of Corn Peptides with Alcohol Dehydrogenase Activating Activity Absorbed by Caco-2 Cell Monolayers

Molecules. 2024 Mar 28;29(7):1523. doi: 10.3390/molecules29071523.

Abstract

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) plays a pivotal role in constraining alcohol metabolism. Assessing the ADH-activating activity in vitro can provide insight into the capacity to accelerate ethanol metabolism in vivo. In this study, ADH-activating peptides were prepared from corn protein meal (CGM) using enzymatic hydrolysis, and these peptides were subsequently identified following simulated gastrointestinal digestion and their absorption through the Caco-2 cell monolayer membrane. The current investigation revealed that corn protein hydrolysate hydrolyzed using alcalase exhibited the highest ADH activation capability, maintaining an ADH activation rate of 52.93 ± 2.07% following simulated gastrointestinal digestion in vitro. After absorption through the Caco-2 cell monolayer membrane, ADH-activating peptides were identified. Among them, SSNCQPF, TGCPVLQ, and QPQQPW were validated to possess strong ADH activation activity, with EC50 values of 1.35 ± 0.22 mM, 2.26 ± 0.16 mM, and 2.73 ± 0.13 mM, respectively. Molecular Docking revealed that the activation of ADH occurred via the formation of a stable complex between the peptide and the active center of ADH by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The results of this study also suggest that corn protein hydrolysate could be a novel functional dietary element that helps protects the liver from damage caused by alcohol and aids in alcohol metabolism.

Keywords: ADH activating peptides; Caco-2 cell monolayer; corn; gastrointestinal digestion; identification.

MeSH terms

  • Alcohol Dehydrogenase*
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Protein Hydrolysates
  • Zea mays*

Substances

  • Alcohol Dehydrogenase
  • Protein Hydrolysates
  • Peptides

Grants and funding

This study was funded by National Key Research and Development Project of China (No.2021YFD2100904), China Central Government Guided Heilongjiang Provincial Local Science and Technology Development Program (ZY23QY06), the Innovation Scientific Research Fund for Graduate Students Harbin University of Commerce (YJSCX2020-637HSD), the Fundamental Research Funds of Department of Education of Heilongjiang Province (145209309) and Open project of Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Corn Deep Processing Theory and Technology (No. SPKF202025).