Potential blood pressure regulatory effect of low molecular weight α-chymotrypsin extract and its peptides from Stichopus japonicus: Peptide-ACE interaction study via in silico molecular docking

Abstract

Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and heart damage. Stichopus japonicus (S. japonicus) is a red sea cucumber with antioxidant and anti-hypertensive activities. However, its anti-hypertensive mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) of α-chymotrypsin-assisted hydrolysate of S. japonicus (α-chy) and its ultrafiltrate fractions (>10 kDa [α-chy-I], 5–10 kDa [α-chy-II], and <5 kDa [α-chy-III]). Low molecular α-chy-III exerted excellent ACE inhibitory and anti-hypertensive activities in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Moreover, α-chy-III significantly reduced the systolic and diastolic blood pressure by modulating the serum angiotensin and ACE levels. Histological analysis revealed that α-chy-III markedly protected the aorta, heart, and kidney tissues of SHR from hypertension-induced tissue damage. Taken together, our findings highlight the potential of α-chy-III as a functional food ingredient for the treatment of hypertension and its comorbidities. © 2024