Peptidomics Analysis Discloses That Novel Bioactive Peptides Participate in Necrotizing Enterocolitis in a Rat Model

Abstract

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common devastating gastrointestinal disease in premature infants, the molecular mechanisms of which have not been fully elucidated. Recently, endogenous peptides have garnered much attention owing to their role in diagnosis and treatment. However, changes in the peptide expression of NEC intestinal tissues remain poorly understood. In the present study, a comparative peptidomics profiling analysis was performed between NEC and control intestinal tissues via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In total, 103 upregulated and 73 downregulated peptides were identified in the intestinal tissues ( fold change ≥ 1.5 , p < 0.05 ). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these differentially expressed peptides were significantly associated with NEC pathophysiology, including apoptosis, the TGF-β signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway, and the MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, two putative peptides could inhibit apoptosis and promote the migration of intestinal epithelial cells induced by lipopolysaccharide; these peptides were derived from the protein domains MT1 and EZRI, respectively. In conclusion, our study revealed that endogenous peptides are involved in the pathophysiologic mechanism of NEC; nevertheless, further exploration is required in this regard.

Lactobacillus casei-Derived Postbiotics Elevate the Bioaccessibility of Proteins via Allosteric Regulation of Pepsin and Trypsin and Introduction of Endopeptidases

“…The activity of antimicrobial peptides in inhibiting the bacterial lesions in the digestive tract has been reported, and the blocking effect on bacterial nucleic acid formation and the promotion of bacterial cell membrane perforation hole formation are the potential tactics . Accumulating evidence also indicates that epithelial apoptosis represents an important component in the gastrointestinal damage induced by the pathogenesis of bacterial infection-mediated inflammation, and the effective inflammation control strategies have the potential for ameliorating of necrotizing enterocolitis. , The effect of dietary supplementation of antioxidant peptides on the phenotype of necrotizing enterocolitis in mouse model suggested that antioxidant peptides could ameliorate inflammation in necrotizing enterocolitis through attenuating ROS-NF-κB axis . Results of mouse models that were given various dietary regimen also illustrated that active peptides with anti-inflammatory effects were also evidenced to have a beneficial therapeutic effect in necrotizing enterocolitis by reducing inflammation and tight junction disruption .…”