Lacto‐ghrestatin, a novel bovine milk‐derived peptide, suppresses ghrelin secretion

Ghrelin, an endogenous peptide isolated from the stomach, is known to stimulate food intake after peripheral administration. We found that the enzymatic digest of β‐lactoglobulin decreases ghrelin secretion from the ghrelin‐producing cell line MGN3‐1. The peptides present in the digest were comprehensively analyzed using the nanoLC‐OrbitrapMS. Among them, we identified that the nonapeptide LIVTQTMKG, corresponding to β‐lactoglobulin(1–9), suppresses ghrelin secretion from MGN3‐1 cells. We named LIVTQTMKG ‘lacto‐ghrestatin’. We found that lacto‐ghrestatin decreases intracellular cAMP levels and mRNA expression levels of ghrelin production‐related genes in MGN3‐1 cells. Orally administered lacto‐ghrestatin decreases plasma ghrelin levels and food intake in fasted mice. Lacto‐ghrestatin is the first food‐derived peptide to suppress ghrelin secretion in vitro and in vivo.