The corn protein, zein hydrolysate, administered into the ileum attenuates hyperglycemia via its dual action on glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV activity in rats.

We previously showed that a hydrolysate prepared from corn zein [zein hydrolysate (ZeinH)] strongly stimulates glucagons-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion from the murine GLP-1-producing enteroendocrine cell line and in the rat small intestine, especially in the ileum. Here, we investigated whether ZeinH administered into the ileum affects glucose tolerance via stimulating GLP-1 secretion. To observe the effect of luminal ZeinH itself on GLP-1 secretion and glycemia, ip glucose tolerance tests were performed in conscious rats with ileal and jugular catheters, and plasma glucose, insulin, and GLP-1 (total and active) were measured. In addition, plasma dipeptidyl peptidase-IV activities in the ileal vein were measured after the administration of ZeinH into the ileal-ligated loop in anesthetized rats. The ileal administration of ZeinH attenuated the glucose-induced hyperglycemia accompanied by the enhancement of insulin secretion, whereas meat hydrolysate (MHY) neither induced insulin secretion nor attenuated hyperglycemia. The antihyperglycemic effect was also demonstrated by the oral administration of ZeinH. From these results, it was predicted that the GLP-1-releasing potency of ZeinH was higher than that of MHY. However, both peptides induced a similar increase in total GLP-1 concentration after the ileal administration. In contrast, active GLP-1 concentration was increased only in ZeinH-treated rats. In anesthetized rats, ileal administration of ZeinH, but not MHY, decreased plasma dipeptidyl peptidase-IV activity in the ileal vein. These results indicate that the ileal administration of a dietary peptide, ZeinH, has the dual functions of inducing GLP-1 secretion and inhibiting GLP-1 degradation, resulting in the enhancement of insulin secretion and the prevention of hyperglycemia in rats.