关键词: 生物活性肽, Caco-2细胞单层膜模型, 小鼠模型, 转运吸收

Abstract: Fermented milk benefits human health in many respects. Gln-Glu-Pro-Val (QEPV) is a peptide produced through enzymatic hydrolysis of the milk-derived peptide Gln-Glu-Pro-Val-Leu. QEPV elicits immunomodulatory effects on lymphocytes as a bioactive peptide. In this research, the transepithelial transport of QEPV was investigated in vitro and in vivo by using the Caco-2 cell monolayer model and mouse models. Results showed that QEPV exhibited good stability and it could integrally cross the Caco-2 cell monolayer in vitro. A limited transepithelial transport rate was observed at the concentration of 3.00 mg/mL in the Caco-2 cell monolayer model. Besides, QEPV was not detected in Caco-2 cells by both flow cytometry (FCM) and ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Therefore, QEPV could be absorbed as a bioactive peptide via the paracellular pathway in vitro. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that QEPV could be absorbed by mice via gastrointestinal and peritoneal routes. QEPV was less efficiently absorbed from the intestine than from the peritoneal cavity.

Key words: bioactive peptide, Caco-2 cell monolayer model, mouse model, transepithelial transport