Partially purified soy hydrolysates retard proliferation and inhibit bacterial translocation in cultured C2BBe cells

Pectin-rich extracts from olives inhibit proliferation of Caco-2 and THP-1 cells

Pectin-rich olive extracts from a by-product of olive oil production inhibits proliferation of Caco-2 and THP-1 cells, and hemagglutination by galectin-3. Activation of caspase-3 indicates induction of apoptosis.

The epithelial barrier-protecting properties of a soy hydrolysate

Enhancing the epithelial barrier function could be a possible strategy to prevent food allergy or reduce its symptoms. Soy hydrolysates containing bioactive peptides could be instrumental in this. In this study, the protective effects of pretreatment with 6 soy hydrolysates on calcium ionophore A23187-induced TEER reduction were studied in T84 cells. The effects of the most potent soy hydrolysate on tight junction gene expression were studied. In order to identify the underlying pathways involved, the barrier disruptor specificity of the effect was studied by comparing the protective effects on TEER and Lucifer Yellow flux after the exposure to barrier disruptors that work via different intracellular pathways, i.e. the disruptors A23187, mellitin, and deoxynivalenol (DON). Preincubation with one of the six hydrolysates protected the epithelial cells from a decrease in TEER induced by A23187 (restored to 105% of the starting point, while A23187 alone decreased to 53% of the starting value) and mellitin (restored to 11% of the starting point, while mellitin alone decreased to 3.8% of the starting value). This soy hydrolysate was found to increase claudin-1 and decrease claudin-2 expression. The protective effect of the hydrolysate on TEER was specific for the barrier disruptors A23187 and mellitin, but was not observed for DON. This observation suggests that the soy hydrolysate may act via PKC isoforms, which are known to lead to changes in the expression of claudin-1 and 2. Our data suggest that specific soy hydrolysates may be designed to strengthen the epithelial barrier which might be instrumental in the management of the barrier function in individuals at risk of developing food allergy.

Self-assembled α-Tocopherol Transfer Protein Nanoparticles Promote Vitamin E Delivery Across an Endothelial Barrier

Vitamin E is one of the most important natural antioxidants, protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids in the membranes of cells. Among different chemical isoforms assimilated from dietary regimes, RRR-α-tocopherol is the only one retained in higher animals. This is possible thanks to α-Tocopherol Transfer Protein (α-TTP), which extracts α-tocopherol from endosomal compartments in liver cells, facilitating its distribution into the body. Here we show that, upon binding to its substrate, α-TTP acquires tendency to aggregation into thermodynamically stable high molecular weight oligomers. Determination of the structure of such aggregates by X-ray crystallography revealed a spheroidal particle formed by 24 protein monomers. Oligomerization is triggered by refolding of the N-terminus. Experiments with cultured cell monolayers demonstrate that the same oligomers are efficiently transported through an endothelial barrier (HUVEC) and not through an epithelial one (Caco-2). Discovery of a human endogenous transport protein with intrinsic capability of crossing endothelial tissues opens to new ways of drug delivery into the brain or other tissues protected by endothelial barriers.

Chickpea protein hydrolysate as a substitute for serum in cell culture

The growth of mammalian cells in vitro requires the use of rich culture media that are prepared by combining serum with specific nutrient formulations. Serum, the most expensive component of culture media, provides a complex mixture of growth factors and nutrients. Protein hydrolysates that can support in vitro cell growth and eliminate or reduce the need to use serum have been obtained from different sources. Here we describe the use of two food grade proteases to produce a chickpea protein hydrolysate that has been added to cell culture medium in order to determine whether it can be used as a substitute for serum. Medium containing the hydrolysate has been tested using two human cells lines: the monocytic THP-1 cell line which grows in suspension, and the epithelial Caco-2 cell line which grows as a monolayer. The chickpea protein hydrolysate was a good substitute for serum in the first case, but did not allow growth of Caco-2 cells. Supplementation of culture media with this inexpensive and safe hydrolysate would greatly reduce the cost of cell culture.

Inhibitory action of soybean beta-conglycinin hydrolysates on Salmonella typhimurium translocation in Caco-2 epithelial cell monolayers

Soybean protein hydrolysates are widely used as functional foods as they have antioxidative properties able to enhance immune responses in humans. The alcalase enzymatic hydrolysates of beta-conglycinin were fractionated by ultrafiltration, and two main fractions, SP1 (<10 kDa) and SP2 (10-20 kDa), were obtained. The effects of these two fractions on the growth, development of epithelial cells, and formation of intercellular tight junctions were tested on an in vitro Caco-2 cell culture system. The inhibitory effects of SP1 and SP2 on the penetration of Salmonella typhimurium into Caco-2 epithelial cells were also examined. The results showed that the addition of >0.05 g/L of SP2 improved epithelial cell growth and that a concentration of 0.5 g/L of SP2 increased intercellular tight junction formation, which resulted in increased of transepithelial monolayer resistance (TER) values. Moreover, a lower S. typhimurium count compared to control was obtained when Caco-2 cells were grown in 0.05 and 0.5 g/L of SP2. These results show that beta-conglycinin hydrolysates play an important role in resisting S. typhimurium penetration into intestinal epithelial cells and that high molecular mass peptides (10-20 kDa) were more effective overall than low molecular mass peptides.

Effect of oral genistein and isoflavone-free diet on cecal flora and bacterial translocation in antibiotic-treated mice

BACKGROUND

There are several reports indicating that the isoflavone genistein may augment the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier as well inhibit bacterial internalization by cultured enterocytes. We speculated that oral genistein might enhance the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier as monitored by the extraintestinal dissemination of intestinal bacteria.

METHODS

Mice were treated with oral antibiotics to induce cecal bacterial overgrowth accompanied by bacterial translocation of antibiotic-resistant enterobacteria, especially Escherichia coli. These mice were divided into separate groups that included chow-fed mice orally inoculated either with saline, vehicle, or genistein, and mice fed isoflavone-free diet and orally inoculated with either saline, vehicle, or genistein. Intestinal bacterial overgrowth was monitored by quantitative culture of excised ceca and bacterial translocation was monitored by quantitative culture of draining mesenteric lymph nodes.

RESULTS

Mice fed the isoflavone-free diet had decreased populations of cecal bacteria compared with chow-fed mice, and bacterial translocation was reduced in chow-fed mice compared with mice fed isoflavone-free diet. However, bacterial translocation was similar in mice given oral genistein compared with appropriate control mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral genistein had no noticeable effect on bacterial translocation in this model. However, the isoflavone-free diet had an antibacterial effect on cecal flora, and the isoflavone-free diet was associated with decreased numbers of cecal bacteria and decreased incidence of bacterial translocation.

Anticancer activity of hydrophobic peptides from soy proteins

An anticancer peptide from soy protein was purified and isolated. Defatted soy protein was hydrolyzed with thermoase and hydrophobic peptides were extracted with ethanol. The peptide extract was fractionated by XAD-2 hydrophobic, gel filtration chromatography, and different C18 HPLCs. Anticancer activity of each fraction was assayed by measuring in vitro cytotoxicity on P388D1, a mouse monocyte macrophage cell line. IC50 value of a peptide fraction from Sephadex G-25 chromatography was 0.16 mg/ml. This peptide fraction at 1 mg/ml significantly affected cell cycle progression by arresting P388D1 at G2/M phases. Finally purified peptide from analytical C18 HPLC was nonapeptide of which molecular weight was 1157 Da and the sequence was X-Met-Leu-Pro-Ser-Tye-Ser-Pro-Tyr.

The isoflavone genistein inhibits internalization of enteric bacteria by cultured Caco-2 and HT-29 enterocytes

The dietary isoflavone genistein is the focus of much research involving its role as a potential therapeutic agent in a variety of diseases, including cancer and heart disease. However, there is recent evidence that dietary genistein may also have an inhibitory effect on extraintestinal invasion of enteric bacteria. To study the effects of genistein on bacterial adherence and internalization by confluent enterocytes, Caco-2 and HT-29 enterocytes (cultivated for 15-18 d and 21-24 d, respectively) were pretreated for 1 h with 0, 30, 100, or 300 micromol/L genistein, followed by 1-h incubation with pure cultures of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Proteus mirabilis, or Escherichia coli. Pretreatment of Caco-2 and HT-29 enterocytes with genistein inhibited bacterial internalization in a dose-dependent manner (r = 0.60-0.79). Compared to untreated enterocytes, 1-h pretreatment with 300 micromol/L genistein was generally associated with decreased bacterial internalization (P < 0. 05) without a corresponding decrease in bacterial adherence. Using Caco-2 cell cultures, decreased bacterial internalization was associated with increased integrity of enterocyte tight junctions [measured by increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER)], with alterations in the distribution of enterocyte perijunctional actin filaments (visualized by fluorescein-labeled phalloidin), and with abrogation of the decreased TEER associated with S. typhimurium and E. coli incubation with the enterocytes (P < 0.01). Thus, genistein was associated with inhibition of enterocyte internalization of enteric bacteria by a mechanism that might be related to the integrity of the enterocyte tight junctions, suggesting that genistein might function as a barrier-sustaining agent, inhibiting extraintestinal invasion of enteric bacteria.