Impact of black soybean peptides on intestinal barrier function and gut microbiota in hypertensive mice

The aim of the present study was to examine the antihypertensive effect of black soybean peptides (BSP) and investigate the role of these peptides in ameliorating hypertension-induced intestinal damage and modulating gut microbiota. The findings demonstrated that BSP could significantly reduce the blood pressure of mice with diet-induced hypertension (P < 0.001). Simultaneously, BSP effectively inhibited the production of proinflammatory factors (IL-17 and TNF-alpha) and increased the levels of an anti-inflammatory factor (IL-10) in the colon of mouse models of hypertension. Additionally, BSP up-regulated the gene expression of intestinal barrier factors ZO-1, Occludin, and MUC-2, and alleviated the hypertension-induced inflammatory infiltration of colon tissue. Furthermore, the peptides increased the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the feces and upregulated the protein expression of the SCFA receptor GPR41/43. The analysis of intestinal microbes showed that BSP could modulate the richness and diversity of the intestinal microbiota in mouse models of hypertension, increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria, decrease the abundance of harmful bacteria, and promote the homeostasis of the imbalanced intestinal microbiota. Notably, BSP exerted a significant protective effect against L-NAME-induced hypertension in mice, demonstrating good outcomes with respect to blood pressure regulation, intestinal protection, and intestinal microbiota balance. Therefore, BSP may ameliorate the harm caused by hypertension and could aid in the prevention of hypertension as a dietary intervention.