Soy Peptides: Bridging Traditional Nutrition and Cutting-Edge Biotechnology for Enhanced Health Outcomes

Soybeans have been cultivated in Asia for almost 5,000 years, first in China and then in Japan. It was first introduced to Europe in the 18th century and later to the United States in the 19th century. Soybeans have become a key economic crop in the United States since the 1940s. Today, the United States is the largest soybean producer, responsible for more than 30% of global production. The popularity of soy-based foods has continued to grow in North America over recent decades, especially following the 1999 approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a claim linking soy protein consumption to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Soybeans are a valuable source of high-quality proteins containing all the essential amino acids found in animal proteins, without cholesterol and with less saturated fat.

Epidemiological studies have linked soy consumption to potential benefits in reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and type II diabetes, certain types of cancer and immune disorders. Soy proteins and associated phytochemicals are thought to be responsible for these beneficial health effects . In recent years, the attention of researchers has increasingly attracted bioactive peptides isolated from soybeans as a result of simulating gastrointestinal digestion processes. We will consider current scientific data on bioactive soy peptides and their role in modulating physiological functions or preventing chronic diseases , as well as the most modern technologies for the production of soy peptides.

Peptide and Peptide Complex Technology is a method of enhanced protein hydrolysis and enzymolysis that is used to produce bioactive peptides. This method, developed by biotechnology and food industry experts at IDEAL PHARMA PEPTIDE , allows for more efficient and precise control of the process of hydrolysis and enzymolysis , which leads to the production of peptides with improved functional properties and biological activity. The main steps of IPH technology include enzyme selection and optimization. IPH technology uses specially selected enzymes such as pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain and peptidase, which can effectively break down the protein structure of soybeans under optimal pH and temperature conditions. The protein hydrolysis process is controlled with great precision to ensure optimal reaction times and conditions. This allows you to achieve the desired degree of hydrolysis and obtain peptides of the desired size and structure. Optimization of the molecular profile of peptides – during protein hydrolysis, a variety of peptides of varying lengths and structures are formed. IPH technology allows the control and optimization of the composition and molecular profile of peptides, which is important for achieving certain functional and biological properties. Peptides obtained using IPH technology are characterized by high stability and purity. This is achieved through strict control of the production process and the use of high-quality raw materials , thanks to the optimization of the hydrolysis process and the production of peptides with specific structural characteristics, the product obtained using IPH technology has improved biological activity , which allows it to be more effectively used in functional products for maintaining health and prevention of various diseases. IPH technology is a modern and effective approach to the production of bioactive peptides from soy, which allows to obtain a high quality product with optimal functional and biological properties.

The lipid-lowering properties of soy peptides are among the most studied biological activities. Studies have shown that many of them are able to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as suppress the synthesis and storage of fats. One of the first cholesterol-lowering peptides discovered, LPYPR, derived from soybean glycinin, demonstrated the ability to reduce blood cholesterol levels by 25%. Other studies have confirmed the hypocholesterolemic effect of the LPYP peptide, which also inhibits the activity of the enzyme that controls cholesterol synthesis. It was also found that the peptides IAVVPGEVA and IAVPTGVA, derived from glycinin, have similar properties, inhibiting the activity of the same enzyme. Other studies have identified the hypocholesterolemic peptides YVVNPNDEN and YVVNPDNEN, which also modulate cholesterol levels. Several other peptides such as SFGVAE, WGAPSL, LLPHH, RPLKPW, VAWWMY and FVVNATSN were also identified as lipid-lowering. In addition, dipeptides such as KA, VK and SY have been isolated from soybean components, which reduce triglyceride levels in the blood. Some peptides, such as KNPQLR, EITPEKNPQLR and RKQEEDEDEEQQRE, have been shown to inhibit the activity of an enzyme involved in fatty acid synthesis. Overall, soy peptides represent promising components for the development of products aimed at lowering blood lipid levels and improving overall metabolic health.

Soybean peptides , in addition to their hypolipidemic properties, exhibit antidiabetic activity in various experimental models. For example, the peptides LPYP, IAVPGEVA and IAVPTGVA, which can lower cholesterol, also improve glucose metabolism by increasing its uptake in liver cells through the glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT4. Other studies have shown that the IAVPTGVA peptide effectively inhibits the activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of glucagon-like peptide and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, important for glucose homeostasis.

Additionally, fermented soybean products containing soy peptides, such as natto and jungkukjang, may be effective in preventing the development of type 2 diabetes. Several studies have confirmed that consuming a diet rich in soy protein is associated with improvements in blood glucose and insulin levels in people with gestational diabetes. Peptides derived from soy components also demonstrated the ability to reduce glucose and triglyceride levels by activating various metabolic pathways such as AMPK and PPARα. These results suggest a potential role for soy peptides in improving metabolic health and preventing diabetes.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the risk factors for developing coronary heart disease. Interestingly, antihypertensive peptides, the most abundant and best-studied bioactive compounds in foods, may have beneficial effects on blood pressure. These peptides work by blocking the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), which regulates the renin-angiotensin system and thus blood pressure levels. ACE converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which can lead to increased blood pressure. Foods such as soy paste, soy sauce, natto and tempeh contain peptides that inhibit the action of ACE. For example, fermented soybean paste contains the antihypertensive tripeptide HHL, while natto and tempeh contain ACE inhibitor peptides such as VAHINVGZK and YVWK. Other peptides such as PGTAVFK, IVF, LLF, LNF, LSW, LEF, YVVFK, IPPGVPYWT, PNNNKPFQ, NWGPLV and TPRVF are also found in soy products and have antihypertensive properties. Interestingly, the structural features of these peptides may influence their effectiveness: the presence of certain amino acid residues at the C-terminus of the peptide may increase its stability and ACE inhibitory effect. It was also found that dipeptides with tyrosine at the C-terminus usually have more pronounced antihypertensive properties compared to dipeptides with phenylalanine at the C-terminus.

And studies in various models have shown that soy peptides have anti-cancer properties. For example, in 2000, the hydrophobic peptide X-MLPSYSPY was isolated from defatted soy protein, which interfered with the cell cycle progression of murine lymphoma (P388D1) at the G2/M stage. Most soy anticancer peptides are a minor fraction of 2S soy proteins, such as BBI , which although initially viewed as an antinutrient, has been shown to have anticarcinogenic activity in a variety of species and tissue types, including colon, liver, esophagus, breast, and prostate. In studies, BBI peptide has demonstrated potential as a safe cancer chemopreventive agent that prevents and inhibits malignant transformation at doses ranging from 800 to 2000 chymotrypsin inhibitor units. The mechanism of action of BBI includes apoptosis caused by mitochondrial damage from reactive oxygen species, as well as antiangiogenesis. Another anticancer peptide is lunasin, which also has anticarcinogenic activity and protects against gastrointestinal degradation when soy protein is taken orally . o n is also capable of inducing apoptosis in breast cancer cells and stopping their division, making it a potentially important drug in the fight against cancer.

Immunomodulatory peptides, closely associated with anti-cancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, play a key role in enhancing immune cell functions such as natural killer cell activity or cytokine regulation. Peptides created from soy protein hydrolyzate showed the greatest proliferation of spleen lymphocytes and the ability to phagocytose in peritoneal macrophages. The peptides HCGAPA and GAPA, extracted from the glycinin component of soy protein hydrolysate, also stimulated phagocytosis , and the sequence MITLAIPVNKPGR from tryptic soy protein hydrolysate promoted phagocytosis in leukocytes.

Subsequence three soybean peptides – YPFVV, YPFVVN and YPFVVNA, which have anxiolytic effects and selectivity for the μ receptor, and their effects are manifested in suppressing food intake and slowing transit through the small intestinal cloud due to interaction with neurotransmitters. Additionally, YPFVV showed improvement in glucose and triglyceride levels in the KKAy diabetic model by activating adiponectin and PPARα, promoting β-oxidation, and increasing energy expenditure. Potentially, the peptides YPFVV, YPFVVN and YPFVVNA do not require absorption into the bloodstream due to their anxiolytic effect , and fragment 51– 63, contained in the β-subunit of βCG, VRIRLLQRFNKRS, demonstrates the ability to suppress food intake and delay gastric emptying by stimulating plasma cholecystokinin through an extracellular calcium-sensing receptor.

Soybean peptides are multifunctional and exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating and neuromodulatory properties. For soy peptides , bioavailability is very important so that they can penetrate the small intestine and reach their sites of action . Today, improved bioavailability, activity and purity of peptides can be achieved using IPH technology , which has established itself as one of the most progressive technologies in the modern world of bio -industry.