Hypocholesterolaemic Activity of Lupin Peptides: Investigation on the Crosstalk between Human Enterocytes and Hepatocytes Using a Co-Culture System Including Caco-2 and HepG2 Cells

Nutrients. 2016 Jul 22;8(7):437. doi: 10.3390/nu8070437.

Abstract

Literature indicates that peptic and tryptic peptides derived from the enzymatic hydrolysis of lupin protein are able to modulate cholesterol metabolism in human hepatic HepG2 cells and that part of these peptides are absorbed in a small intestine model based on differentiated human Caco-2 cells. In this paper, a co-culture system, including Caco-2 and HepG2 cells, was investigated with two objectives: (a) to verify whether cholesterol metabolism in HepG2 cells was modified by the peptides absorption through Caco-2 cells; (b) to investigate how lupin peptides influence cholesterol metabolism in Caco-2 cells. The experiments showed that the absorbed peptides, not only maintained their bioactivity on HepG2 cells, but that this activity was improved by the crosstalk of the two cells systems in co-culture. In addition, lupin peptides showed a positive influence on cholesterol metabolism in Caco-2 cells, decreasing the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) secretion.

Keywords: LDL receptor; Lupinus; PCSK9; bioactive food peptides; cholesterol metabolism; intestinal absorption.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / chemistry
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anticholesteremic Agents / metabolism*
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Communication
  • Cholesterol / metabolism*
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Dietary Supplements / analysis
  • Enterocytes / metabolism*
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Absorption
  • Lupinus / chemistry*
  • Pepsin A / metabolism
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / isolation & purification
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism*
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proprotein Convertase 9 / metabolism
  • Protein Hydrolysates / chemistry
  • Protein Hydrolysates / metabolism
  • Seeds / chemistry
  • Trypsin / metabolism

Substances

  • Anticholesteremic Agents
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Plant Proteins
  • Protein Hydrolysates
  • Cholesterol
  • PCSK9 protein, human
  • Proprotein Convertase 9
  • Trypsin
  • Pepsin A