Effect and mechanism of oyster hydrolytic peptides on spatial learning and memory in mice

Oysters (Crassostrea talienwhanensis) contain large amounts of protein and exhibit many biological activities. This study was aimed at preparing oyster protein hydrolysates (OPH) and evaluating the OPH based on a spatial learning and memory capacity. A response surface methodology was employed to optimize hydrolysis conditions to determine the OPH with the highest AChE inhibitory activity, and the optimum extraction conditions were as follows: enzyme concentration of 1444.88 U g(−1), pH of 7.38, extraction temperature of 45 °C, extraction time of 5.56 h and a water/material ratio of 2.45 : 1, and the minimum acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was 0.069 mM min(−1). The spatial memory and learning abilities and passive avoidance in mice were determined by using the Morris water maze test and a dark/light avoidance test. Furthermore, the OPH group could relieve oxidative stress, reduce AChE levels, increase choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) levels and alleviate inflammatory reaction through reduction of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. Additionally, up-regulated expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAM) were observed in mice treated with OPH. These findings suggested that OPH could be a functional food candidate to improve the learning and memory ability associated with oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions.