Bioactivity of an antihypertensive peptide expressed in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

- The recombinant protein produced in C. reinhardtii containing VLPVP peptides can reduce the systolic blood pressure in spontaneous hypertensive rats.
- After in vitro digestion of biomass of a recombinant C. reinhardtii strain, the VLVPV peptide was identified and quantified by HPLC.
- This is the first study that indicates the potential of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii producing an antihypertensive peptide.

In this study, we developed a transplastomic C. reinhardtii strain that accumulates anti-hypertensive peptides. Tandem repeats of VLPVP peptide were included. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of the transgene in the modified strains. After in vitro digestion of biomass of a recombinant C. reinhardtii strain the VLVPV peptide was identified and quantified by HPLC. The highest expression line produced 0.292 mg of recombinant protein per mg of freeze-dried biomass. Intragastric administration of the genetically modified strain to spontaneous hypertensive rats at a dose of 30 mg/kg of body weight of recombinant protein significantly reduced systolic blood pressure. At the same dose, the recombinant protein exerts an ACE-inhibitory effect. This is the first study that indicates the potential of this microalga producing an antihypertensive peptide as a dietary supplement for hypertension patients.