Identification of peptides with antioxidant, anti-lipoxygenase, anti-xanthine oxidase and anti-tyrosinase activities from velvet antler blood

This study aimed to identify novel peptides with antioxidant, anti-lipoxygenase (LOX), anti-xanthine oxidase (XOD), and anti-tyrosinase activities from velvet antler blood (VB) treated with simulated gastrointestinal digestion. VB hydrolysate (VBH) was subjected to antioxidant, anti-LOX, anti-XOD, and anti-tyrosinase assay-guided purification using ultrafiltration and Sephadex G-25 gel filtration chromatography. Two-hundred and nineteen different peptide sequences were identified from the most active gel filtration fraction using nano-LC-MS/MS and mainly derived from serum albumin, tyrosine-protein kinase receptor, and adult beta-globin. The length of the identified sequence ranged from 3 to 25 amino acids, and the molecular weight is mainly less than 500 Da. Eight peptides were further screened and synthesized based on confidence score, online database retrieval, and in silico prediction. Hydrolysis significantly improved the antioxidant, anti-LOX, anti-XOD, and anti-tyrosinase activities of VB. Novel peptides LKECCDKPV, EHF, FPH, VGYP, LFP, FSAL, and HHGGEFTPV, which retained activity under in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, might be the major contributors to the health benefits of VB. These results provide new insights and clues for the application of VB and its derived peptides to the functional food, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical industries.