(P04-063-24) Bioactive Peptides of Underutilized Legumes Modulate Enzymes Related to Glucose Metabolism, Exert Antioxidant Effect, and Regulate Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Objectives: Obesity and type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are considered a serious public health problem worldwide, thus, there is a need to find new alternatives to prevent these diseases. This study aimed to determine the effect of underutilized Mexican legumes guaje (Leucaena leucocephala), jiniucil (Inga jinicuil), and guamúchil (Pithecellobium dulce) on lipid accumulation in pre-adipocytes (3T3-L1) and their antioxidant and inhibitory potential of enzymes related to T2DM in vitro.

Methods: The antioxidant capacity (DPPH) of peptides > 5 kDa and < 5 kDa obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis with pepsin and pancreatin was determined. Then, the enzymatic modulation of α-glucosidase and α-amylase was determined. Subsequently, 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte model was used to evaluate the effect of the different fractions in adipogenesis, lipid accumulation through oil red-o staining, and cell migration by cell-scraped wound model assay in fibroblast-like pre-adipocytes. The results were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA using Tukey´s test.

Results: Fractions < 5 kDa demonstrated a radical scavenging activity, but the fraction >5 kDa of green guaje (GG) and the fraction < 5 kDa of pigmented guaje (PG) showed greater effects with 500.6 μM TE/g and 345.8 μM TE/g, respectively compared to the other fractions (p < 0.05). The fractions < 5 kDa showed inhibition of α-amylase between 20-35% at the lowest concentration tested. However, only the fraction >5 kDa of green guaje inhibited the α-glucosidase enzyme, 49% at the highest concentration. Evaluating the effect of different fractions on cell viability, it was found that lower fractions were less toxic to cells (viability >90%) at concentrations of ≤ 0.25 to 1 mg/mL. In adipogenesis, the fractions > 5 kDa of both guamúchil and green guaje demonstrate a reduction of lipid accumulation by 46.4% in 3T3-L1 cells. Finally, fractions > 5 kDa of jinicuil (48.4%) and green guaje (34.0%) showed the highest percentage of wound closure.

Conclusions: Bioactive peptides from underutilized legumes showed an important role in the modulation of glucose and lipid metabolism.

Funding Sources: Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT), Tecnológico de Monterrey for student scholarship. The Institute for Obesity Research for funding this project.