[P008] Poster

1:00 PM - 1:50 PM JST(4:00 AM - 4:50 AM UTC)

[P04-568] Analysis of muscle-related amino acids in enzymatic hydrolysates from mackerel (Scomber japonicus) processing by-products and functional validation in vitro and in vivo

○Wook-Chul Kim¹, Yun-Su Lee¹, Seo-Rin Jung¹, Yesol Kim¹, Seung-Hong Lee¹ (1. Soonchunhyang University (Korea))

Keywords:

by-products,Scomber japonicus,zebrafish,muscle atrophy,Amino acid

Fish processing by-products are increasingly recognized as high-value protein resources with potential benefits for muscle health; however, efficient strategies for screening bioactive hydrolysates remain limited. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysates from mackerel (Scomber japonicus) head by-products were prepared using four commercial proteases and evaluated using a zebrafish-based in vivo model. In a dexamethasone-induced muscle impairment model, the Alcalase-derived hydrolysate showed the most significant improvement in locomotor activity and effectively preserved muscle fiber integrity, as confirmed by phalloidin staining. In C2C12 myotubes, this hydrolysate promoted myotube formation and activated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway while suppressing muscle atrophy-related factors. These effects were further validated in a mouse model, where administration improved grip strength and restored skeletal muscle structure. Amino acid analysis revealed that SJAE was enriched in branched-chain amino acids, particularly leucine (13.72%), along with a high proportion of glutamic acid (14.23%), supporting its role in muscle metabolism. Collectively, these findings highlight the effectiveness of zebrafish-based screening and the potential of Alcalase-derived hydrolysates as functional ingredients for muscle health.