The primary structure identification of a corn peptide facilitating alcohol metabolism by HPLC-MS/MS.

The aim of this study is to identify the primary structure of corn peptides (CPs) with a facilitating alcohol metabolism effect. Corn protein was hydrolyzed by Alcalase first. The hydrolysate, crude corn peptides (CPs), was then fractionated through ultrafiltration technology. The primary structure of a peptide from the fraction (Mm<5kDa) was identified by HPLC-MS/MS, coupled with the peptide sequence retrieval using the MS-MS online database. The amino acid sequence of the peptide was determined as Q-L-L-P-F, and the pentapeptide was synthesized by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) method. Its ability to facilitate alcohol metabolism was evaluated in vivo. Results showed that the synthetic peptide (10mg/kg) had a higher ability to eliminate alcohol in vivo compared to the mixed peptides (Mm<5kDa, 200mg/kg). In conclusion, the pentapeptide Q-L-L-P-F has a potent ability in facilitating alcohol metabolism, and this pentapeptide is the main bioactive component in the mixed peptides obtained from corn.

Antihepatotoxic effect of corn peptides against Bacillus Calmette-Guerin/lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice.

Hepatitis is a severe disease with a high incidence rate around the world [Hwang, J.M., Tseng, T.H., Tsai, Y.Y., Lee, H.J., Chou, F.P., Wang, C.J., Chu, C.Y., 2005. Protective effects of baicalein on tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced hepatic toxicity in rat hepatocytes. J. Biomed. Sci. 12, 389-397]. Corn gluten meal is a byproduct of starch industry with abundant protein. However, the application of corn protein is limited because of its low solubility and short of essential amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan. The hepatoprotective activity of corn peptides (CP) from corn gluten meal hydrolysate was evaluated against Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced immunological liver injury (ILI) in mice. Results showed that ILI was manifested by a significant increase in levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and liver malondialdehyde (MDA)/nitric oxide (NO) levels (p<0.01), and by a significant decrease in levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD)/glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione (GSH) in liver (p<0.01). Pretreatment of mice with CP reversed these altered parameters to normal values. The effect of CP was further demonstrated by histopathological examination of liver sections. The best hepatoprotective effect of CP treatment was observed at the dose of 600 mg/kg bw, which was evidenced from biochemical parameters and liver histopathological characters. Results of this study revealed that CP could afford a significant protection against BCG/LPS-induced hepatocellular injury. It will broaden the application and increase the value of corn gluten meal, byproduct from starch industry.

Molecular polymorphism and expression analysis of MHC class II B gene from red sea bream (Chrysophrys major).

MHC class II (major histocompatibility complex class II) plays an important role in the immune response of vertebrates. Its function is to present antigenic peptides to the T-cell receptor. In order to study the function and molecular polymorphism of class II B gene in fish, we have isolated cDNAs encoding class II B from spleen cDNA library of red sea bream (Chrysophrys major) by using EST sequencing, and examined genomic organization, molecular polymorphism and expression of red sea bream class II B gene. As in other vertebrates, five exons and four introns were identified in red sea bream class II B gene. Seven class II B alleles were identified from seven individuals of red sea bream. The deduced amino acid sequence of red sea bream MHC class II B 1(Chma-DAB*0101) had 87.1, 85.1, 87.1, 90.4, 87.1, 90.8% identity with those of red sea bream class II B 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7(Chma-DAB*0201-Chma-DAB*0701), respectively, and had 75.2, 74.5, 55.9, 55.1, 34.3 and 30.4% identity with those of striped sea bass, cichlid, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, mouse and human, respectively. Four different class II B alleles were observed in a single individual and two different 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) sequences from this individual may infer the existence of two loci at least. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that high expression was detected in liver, head kidney, kidney, intestine, gill, stomach, hear and spleen, low expression in muscle and blood. Challenge of red sea bream with the pathogenic bacteria, Vibrio anguillarum, resulted in a significant decrease in the expression of MHC class II B mRNA from 5 to 72 h after infection in liver, spleen, head kidney and intestine, followed by a recovery to normal level after 96 h.

Cloning, characterization, and expression analysis of hepcidin gene from red sea bream (Chrysophrys major).

A cDNA encoding hepcidin was isolated from a library of cDNA from spleen of red sea bream (Chrysophrys major) by expressed sequence tag analysis. The expression of the hepcidin mRNA in various tissues was examined. Challenge of red sea bream with Escherichia coli DH5alpha elevated hepcidin mRNA levels in spleen, gill, liver, and intestine.

Cloning and characterisation of natural resistance associated macrophage protein (Nramp) cDNA from red sea bream (Pagrus major).

Nramp (natural resistance associated macrophage protein) controls aspects of innate resistance to intracellular parasites. Its function is to enhance the ability of macrophages to kill pathogens. However, little is known about the structure and function of Nramp in lower vertebrates such as teleosts. We have recently isolated a cDNA encoding Nramp from spleen of red sea bream (Pagrus major). The full-length cDNA of the Nramp is 4709 bp in length, including 197 bp 5'-terminal untranslated region (UTR), 1662 bp encoding region and 2850 bp 3'-terminal UTR. The 1662 nt open reading frame was found to code for a protein with 554 amino acid residues. Comparison of the amino acid sequence indicated that red sea bream Nramp consists of 12 transmembrane region (TM) domains. A consensus transport motif (CTM) containing 20 residues was observed between transmembrane domains 8 and 9. The deduced amino acid sequence of red sea bream Nramp had 77.8%, 83.0%, 82.3%, 80.0%, 81.1%, 60.4%, 70.3%, 58.5% and 69.5% identity with that of rainbow trout Nramp alpha and beta, channel catfish Nramp, fathead minnow Nramp, common carp Nramp, mouse Nramp 1 and 2, and human Nramp1 and 2, respectively. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction indicated that levels of Nramp expression were similar among head kidney, spleen, intestine and liver in non-challenged red sea bream, and that challenge of red sea bream with the pathogenic bacterium, Vibrio anguillarum, significantly elevated Nramp mRNA levels in liver and spleen in a time-dependent fashion.