Effects of wheat peptide supplementation on anti-fatigue and immunoregulation during incremental swimming exercise in rats

This study elucidated the effects of wheat peptide administration on anti-fatigue and immunoregulation functions in rats. Wheat peptides were separated and the fraction with the highest radical scavenging activity in vitro was subjected to mass spectrometry to identify the peptide sequences. Sixty rats were randomized into 5 groups: no exercise control group (C), no exercise with low dose [20 mg kg−1 d−1] group (M), exercise control group (E), exercise with low dose group (Z), and exercise with high dose [100 mg kg−1 d−1] group (D). After training for 4 weeks with incremental swimming exercise, bodyweight and exhaustive time were tested and serum, small intestine, skeletal muscle and brain tissues of the rats were collected. A total of four peptide sequences from the highest active fraction were identified. The exhaustive time of group D was significantly longer than groups E and Z. The malondialdehyde content of group M was significantly lower than group C (p < 0.01), but secretory immunoglobulin A and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were higher (both p < 0.01). Compared to group E, the activities of superoxide dismutase in skeletal muscle and acetylcholinesterase were significantly higher in groups Z and D (p < 0.01 or 0.05), but caspase-3 was lower (p < 0.01). Glutathione peroxidase and 5-HT in group D were both significantly higher than in group E (p < 0.01 or 0.05), but interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 were lower (P < 0.05). Supplementation of wheat peptide could effectively improve the ability of one-time exhaustive exercise of rats, remove free radicals from skeletal muscle in time, and alleviate the intestinal and blood inflammatory responses.