Preparation and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Specific Selenium Chelated Peptides from Antarctic Krill

Abstract

This study has successfully developed selenium-chelated peptides (Se-AKPs) from Antarctic krill for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Antarctic krill peptides (AKPs) were prepared by alkaline protease hydrolysis and then chelating them with sodium selenite to produce Se-AKPs. Following chelation, characterization revealed a red shift in UV absorption, decreased fluorescence intensity and a reduction in β -sheet content. In vitro experiments showed that Se-AKPs at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) release in RAW264.7 cells. In vivo experiments indicated that Se-AKPs effectively alleviated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice by regulating serum inflammatory cytokine levels. Additionally, core active peptide sequences such as LFP, FDL, and FSL were identified through ultrafiltration purification and LC-MS/MS analysis. Se-AKPs provide a new approach for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as they enhance the bioavailability of selenium and boost anti-inflammatory activity.