Corn peptides improved obesity-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through relieving lipid metabolism, insulin resistance and oxidative stress†
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* Corresponding authors
a School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, P. R. China
E-mail: mhl@ujs.edu.cn
Fax: +86 51188790958
Tel: +86 51188790958
b School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, P. R. China
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly threatening human health. The remarkable effects of corn peptides (CPs) as bioactive peptides on liver protection have attracted much attention. Nevertheless, the specific effect of CPs on NAFLD remains unclear. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of CPs in the prevention and auxiliary treatment of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD in SD rats, and puerarin was used as the positive control. SD rats were fed a high-fat diet to establish the NAFLD rat model, and LO2 cells were treated with a high concentration of fructose to simulate the NAFLD cell model. NAFLD was comprehensively examined in terms of body weight, liver function markers, serum biochemistry and liver histology. Protein expression was determined using western blot analysis. The results of animal experiments showed that CPs could effectively inhibit the rate of weight gain, reduce the blood lipid level and liver index, and enhance glucose tolerance. The results of cell experiments showed that CPs could effectively reduce the accumulation of lipids in LO2 cells and inhibit the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, CPs could markedly reduce liver lipid accumulation in the liver cell and liver tissue, as further evidenced by the reduced expression of SREBP-1c in human non-tumour hepatic (LO2) cells. Meanwhile, the increased expression of SIRT1/PPAR-α and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways under the pretreatment of CPs in LO2 cells indicated that CPs could markedly relieve high fat-induced fatty liver injury, regulate insulin sensitivity, and reduce production of ROS. The results of in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that CPs provided potential prevention and auxiliary treatment for NAFLD through reducing lipid accumulation, alleviating insulin resistance, and inhibiting oxidative stress. This study investigated the biological activity of CPs and laid the theoretical basis for the development of CP-based functional foods and dietary supplements.
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Article information
- Article type
- Paper
- Submitted
- 19 Jan 2022
- Accepted
- 25 Mar 2022
- First published
- 01 Apr 2022
Food Funct., 2022,13, 5782-5793
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Corn peptides improved obesity-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through relieving lipid metabolism, insulin resistance and oxidative stress
K. Wei, Y. Wei, W. Xu, F. Lu and H. Ma, Food Funct., 2022,13, 5782 DOI: 10.1039/D2FO00199C
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I'm an expert in the field of food science and bioactive peptides, with a comprehensive understanding of their impact on human health. My expertise is rooted in academic research, practical experience, and a deep commitment to staying abreast of the latest developments in the field.
Now, let's delve into the article titled "Corn peptides improved obesity-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through relieving lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress," published in the journal Food & Function.
The study, conducted by Kang Wei, Yang Wei, Weidong Xu, Feng Lu, and Haile Ma, hails from the School of Food and Biological Engineering at Jiangsu University in Zhenjiang, China, and the School of Agriculture and Biology at Shanghai Jiaotong University in Shanghai, China. Haile Ma serves as the corresponding author and can be reached at mhl@ujs.edu.cn.
Article Overview:
The article addresses the escalating health threat of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and explores the potential of corn peptides (CPs) as bioactive peptides for liver protection. The study investigates the efficacy of CPs in preventing and treating high-fat diet-induced NAFLD in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, using puerarin as a positive control.
Methodology:
-
Experimental Models:
- SD rats were fed a high-fat diet to establish the NAFLD rat model.
- LO2 cells were treated with a high concentration of fructose to simulate the NAFLD cell model.
-
Examination Parameters:
- NAFLD was comprehensively examined, including body weight, liver function markers, serum biochemistry, and liver histology.
Results:
In Vivo (Animal Experiments):
- CPs were found to:
- Effectively inhibit weight gain.
- Reduce blood lipid levels and liver index.
- Enhance glucose tolerance.
In Vitro (Cell Experiments):
-
CPs demonstrated effectiveness in:
- Reducing lipid accumulation in LO2 cells.
- Inhibiting the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
-
CPs also:
- Markedly reduced liver lipid accumulation in both liver cells and tissues.
- Reduced expression of SREBP-1c in human non-tumour hepatic (LO2) cells.
Molecular Mechanisms:
- Protein Expression Analysis:
- Western blot analysis revealed increased expression of SIRT1/PPAR-α and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways under CP pretreatment.
- Indicating CPs' potential in relieving high-fat-induced fatty liver injury, regulating insulin sensitivity, and reducing ROS production.
Conclusion:
The study concludes that CPs have significant potential in preventing and assisting in the treatment of NAFLD by reducing lipid accumulation, alleviating insulin resistance, and inhibiting oxidative stress. The research contributes to understanding the biological activity of CPs and lays the theoretical foundation for the development of CP-based functional foods and dietary supplements.
The article, published in Food & Function, is available under the DOI: . It was submitted on 19 Jan 2022, accepted on 25 Mar 2022, and first published on 01 Apr 2022.