Diversity and Therapeutic Potential of Endogenous Peptides in Wasp Venoms

BACKGROUND: Bee venom therapy has been officially incorporated into “TCM diagnosis and treatment system” in China since 2007. Due to its complex composition and varying toxicity, wasp venom has emerged as a promising drug resource. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze the peptide components of wasp venom and their pharmacological activities for novel drug discovery and the industrial development of bee venom. METHODOLOGY: In this study, venoms from four wasp species (Vespa mandarinia, Vespa velutina, Vespa basalis, Provespa barthelemyi) were collected using electrical stimulation, and their peptide components were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. BLAST searches on the UniProt protein database were performed to identify homologous proteins of endogenous peptides in wasp venom, with the closest homologous protein considered as the putative source of each peptide. Bioinformatics analysis was then conducted to identify potential bioactive peptides. RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS: A total of 681 peptides were identified from four types of wasp venom, with nearly 90% being novel peptides. The protein sources of most peptides in wasp venom remained unidentified, likely due to the limited representation of wasp proteins and peptides in current databases. The identified protein sources of the remaining peptides primarily included Mastoparan-B, Mastoparan-X, Mastoparan-V, Phospholipase A1, Vespakinin-M, and Hyaluronidase B. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 291 peptides exhibited high bioactivity, including ACE inhibition, DPP4 inhibition, and antioxidant properties, suggesting that wasp venom may serve as a potential resource for the development of drugs targeting hypertension and diabetes. Practical implications: This study elucidates the peptide composition of wasp venom with potential therapeutic value, providing a scientific foundation for precision medicine and novel drug development. The constructed peptide library serves as an initial screening platform for drug discovery, facilitating the efficient utilization of wasp venom resources and promoting their medical development.