Nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation effects of anti-angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) peptide from Styela clava flesh tissue and its anti-hypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

In our previous study, an anti-angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) peptide (Ala-His-Ile-Ile-Ile, MW: 565.3Da) was isolated from Styela clava flesh tissue. In this study the fractions obtained during the isolation process and the finally purified peptide were examined to see if they had vasorelaxation effects in isolated rat aortas, and then the peptide was investigated for anti-hypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The induction of vasorelaxation in the rat aortas was observed with the isolated fractions and the peptide from the enzymatic hydrolysate of S. clava flesh tissue and could be markedly blocked by pretreatment with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). In human endothelial cells, NO synthesis was found to be increased and eNOS phosphorylation was upregulated when the cells were cultured with the purified peptide. Furthermore, systolic blood pressure was reduced by administration of the potent vasorelaxation peptide in SHRs.
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