Antioxidant synergistic anti‐inflammatory effect in the MAPK/NF‐κB pathway of peptide KGEYNK (KK‐6) from giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)

Abstract BACKGROUND Giant salamander protein peptide is a peptide with rich functional properties. Giant salamander protein peptide KGEYNK (KK‐6) is a peptide with both antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. The antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory mechanisms of KK‐6 are still unclear. When we studied the functional mechanism of KK‐6, we found that the antioxidant property of KK‐6 has a synergistic and promoting effect on anti‐inflammatory properties. RESULTS KK‐6 enhances cellular resistance to LPS via the MAPK/NF‐κB signaling pathway, leading to increased levels of inflammatory factors: interleukin‐1β (764.81 ng mL −1 ), interleukin‐6 (1.06 ng mL −1 ) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (4440.45 ng mL −1 ). KK‐6 demonstrates potent antioxidant properties by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, resulting in elevated levels of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase: 0.03 μg mL −1 ; superoxide dismutase: 0.589 μg mL −1 ) and a reduction in the concentration of the oxidative product malondialdehyde (967.05 μg mL −1 ). CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the great potential of KK‐6, a peptide extracted from giant salamander protein, as a remedy for intestinal inflammation. Through its dual role as an antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory agent, KK‐6 offers a promising avenue for alleviating inflammation‐related damage and oxidative stress. This study lays the foundation for further exploration of giant salamander products and highlights their importance in health and novel food development. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.