Multifunctional peptides: soybean and lupin peptides with hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic activity

In the area of functional foods and dietary supplements, bioactive peptides are increasingly recognized for their potential of improving human health. Multifunctional peptides have the capacity to influence at least two different physiological processes, through the modulation of at least two targets and/or intracellular pathways, providing multiple health benefits. Recently, we have sort out three soybean (IAVPTGVA, IAVPGEVA, and LPYP) and one lupin (LTFPGSAED) peptides with multifunctional behavior. We have demonstrated that these peptides are absorbed by human intestinal cells and that they mediate a hypocholesterolemic effect through the modulation of the LDLR-pathway on HepG2 cells. Moreover, IAVPGEVA, IAVPTGVA, and LPYP induce a hypoglycemic effect through the modulation of AMPK and Akt- pathway. Finally, all these peptides inhibit the DPP-IV activity, a new anti-diabetic target, in vitro on the purified enzyme, in situ on the human intestinal cells, and ex vivo on the human serum.