Pediococcus acidilactici JP-10 fermented silkworm pupa peptides: antihypertensive effects and bioinformatic identification of potential ACE inhibitory peptides.

Hypertension is a common cardiovascular disease closely related to high-risk diseases such as myocardial infarction and diabetes. In this study, LC-MS/MS identification and bioinformatic screening were performed on silkworm pupa protein fermented by Pediococcus acidilactici JP-10, and 11 sequences with potential ACE-inhibitory capacity were obtained. An L-NAME-induced hypertensive rat model was established via gavage. After the model was successfully established, different doses of silkworm pupa ACE inhibitory peptides (SPPs) and captopril were administered to hypertensive rats by gavage at regular intervals. The results showed that the silkworm pupa peptide mixture could significantly reduce the blood pressure of hypertensive rats. The mixture regulated the RAS system, alleviated hypertension-triggered inflammatory responses and pathological damage in the kidney and heart, and exerted antihypertensive effects by modulating intestinal flora balance to promote short-chain fatty acid production. These findings provide a scientific basis for the development of SPPs as potential antihypertensive functional food ingredients.