Chicken feather protein hydrolysate: An alternative for the prevention of indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer formation in rats

This study examined the anti-ulcer potential of chicken feather protein hydrolysate (Hyd) against indomethacin (Ind)-induced gastric ulcer. Hyd was prepared from feathers by microbial fermentation technique using locally isolated Bacillus licheniformis EYT2 (GenBank accession number: PV612017). Hyd was orally administrated to the rats at the doses of 100 mg/kg BW (low-dose group, Hyd100) and 200 mg/kg BW (high-dose group, Hyd200) before Ind treatment. The effectiveness of Hyd was compared with Ranitidin (Ran). Six experimental groups were designed: Control, Ind, Ran+Ind, Hyd100 + Ind, Hyd200 + Ind, and Ran+Hyd200 + Ind. Hyd was determined to have a high protein content (81.6%) and exhibit high water solubility in a wide pH range from 1 to 10. Ind-treatment caused severe erosion, ulceration, and degeneration in gastric tissue, elevated the levels of malondialdehyde, pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase, 8 hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, Bax, caspase-3, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase-38 (MAPK-38) and reduced the levels of glutathione, antioxidant enzymes, anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, prostaglandin E2, anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 and nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2). Conversely, Hyd administration, especially high dose Hyd (Hyd200 + Ind group) reversed these alterations. Furthermore, a combination of Ran and high-dose Hyd (Ran+Hyd200 + Ind) completely prevented Ind toxicity. The protective effect of Hyd was attributed to its antioxidant, antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory activites as well as prostaglandin synthesis-enhancing property. These results imply that Hyd may be used as a supplement with anti-ulcer activity in alternative medicine and/or as a protein source in animal and human nutrition. This is the first report on anti-ulcer potential of Hyd.