Abstract
Legume consumption has been reported to induce beneficial effects on obesity-associated metabolic disorders, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully clarified. In the current work, pea (Pisum sativum L.) seed meal proteins (albumins, legumins and vicilins) were isolated, submitted to a simulated gastrointestinal digestion, and the effects of their hydrolysates (pea albumins hydrolysates (PAH), pea legumins hydrolysates (PLH) and pea vicilin hydrolysates (PVH), respectively) on 3T3-L1 murine pre-adipocytes were investigated. The pea vicilin hydrolysate (PVH), but not native pea vicilins, increased lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation. PVH also increased the mRNA expression levels of the adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2) and decreased that of pre-adipocyte factor-1 (Pref-1) (a pre-adipocyte marker gene), suggesting that PVH promotes adipocyte differentiation. Moreover, PVH induced adiponectin and insulin-responsive glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and stimulated glucose uptake. The expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a key regulator of adipocyte differentiation, were up-regulated in 3T3-L1 cells treated with PVH during adipocyte differentiation. Finally, PVH exhibited PPARγ ligand activity. Lactalbumin or other pea hydrolysates (PAH, PLH) did not exhibit such effects. These findings show that PVH stimulates adipocyte differentiation via, at least in part, the up-regulation of PPARγ expression levels and ligand activity. These effects of PVH might be relevant in the context of the beneficial health effects of legume consumption in obesity-associated metabolic disorders.
Highlights
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health
In an attempt to establish the molecular mechanisms involved in those effects on showed that a soy protein hydrolysate induced changes in a number of key markers of glucose adipocytes, Goto et al [27] showed that a soy protein hydrolysate induced changes in a number of absorption and cell differentiation in adipocytes (3T3-L1) cultures
The two main differences in the current work compared to that previous work were, firstly that we used a well-defined pea protein fraction [14] instead of a whole seed protein hydrolysate; and secondly that we found an effect of pea vicilin hydrolysate (PVH) on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) ligand activity, which was not reported with the soybean protein hydrolysate
Summary
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. Obesity is associated with the Western diet [1], as eating patterns in Western industrialized countries are characterized by high energy consumption and chronic over-consumption of saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar and salt, which is related to the development of other pathologies such as diabetes, cardiovascular and degenerative disorders, cancer, hepatic steatosis and obesity, that are hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome [2,3,4] In this context, it has been proposed that weight loss could be achieved by consuming controlled energy diets with a high content of cereals and legumes [5]. Legumes have long been an important component of the human diet because of their content in protein, carbohydrates (mainly in the form of starch) and many other nutrients [6].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
