RESUMO
This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) containing the pentapeptide leucine-aspartate-isoleucine-glutamine-lysine (LDIQK). Whey protein hydrolysate (50, 100, and 200 µg/mL) demonstrated the ability to restore the viability of HT22 cells subjected to 300 µM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, at a concentration of 200 µg/mL, it significantly reduced the increase in reactive oxygen species production and calcium ion (Ca2+) influx induced by H2O2 by 46.1% and 46.2%, respectively. Similarly, the hydrolysate significantly decreased the levels of p-tau, a hallmark of tauopathy, and BCL2 associated X (BAX), a proapoptosis factor, while increasing the protein levels of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), an enzyme involved in acetylcholine synthesis, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a nerve growth factor, and B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2, an antiapoptotic factor. Furthermore, it increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-hemoxygenase-1(HO-1) signaling, which is associated with the antioxidant response, while reducing the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway components, namely phosphor-extracellular signal-regulated kinases (p-ERK), phosphor-c-Jun N-terminal kinases (p-JNK), and p-p38. Column chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry analysis identified LDIQK as a compound with neuroprotective effects in WPH; it inhibited Ca2+ influx and regulated the BAX/BCL2 ratio. Collectively, WPH containing LDIQK demonstrated neuroprotective effects against H2O2-induced neuronal cell damage, suggesting that WPH or its active peptide, LDIQK, may serve as a potential edible agent for improving cognitive dysfunction.