Preparation and anti-inflammatory activity of specific selenium chelated peptides from Antarctic krill

This study has successfully developed selenium-chelated peptides (Se-AKPs) from Antarctic krill for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Antarctic krill peptides (AKPs) were prepared by alkaline protease hydrolysis and then chelated with sodium selenite to produce Se-AKPs. Following chelation, characterization revealed a red shift in UV absorption, decreased fluorescence intensity and a reduction in β-sheet content. In vitro experiments showed that Se-AKPs at a concentration of 0.1 mg mL^-1 significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) release in RAW264.7 cells. In vivo experiments indicated that Se-AKPs effectively alleviated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice by regulating serum inflammatory cytokine levels. Additionally, core active peptide sequences such as LFP, FDL, and FSL were identified through ultrafiltration purification and LC-MS/MS analysis. Se-AKPs exhibited enhanced selenium bioavailability and anti-inflammatory activity, indicating their potential beneficial properties for IBD-related research.