Immunomodulatory and Antioxidant Properties of Wheat Gluten Protein Hydrolysates in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 12; no. 6; p. 1673
• Main Authors: Cruz-Chamorro, Ivan, Álvarez-Sánchez, Nuria, Santos-Sánchez, Guillermo, Pedroche, Justo, Fernández-Pachón, María-Soledad, Millán, Francisco, Millán-Linares, María Carmen, Lardone, Patricia Judith, Bejarano, Ignacio, Guerrero, Juan Miguel, Carrillo-Vico, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 04.06.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: agriculture; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; CD4-positive T-lymphocytes; celiac disease; Cell culture; Cell growth; cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines; Disease; environmental impact; enzymatic hydrolysis; Enzymes; Functional Food; functional foods; Glutathione; Glutathione - metabolism; Gluten; Glutens - metabolism; Humans; Hydrolysis; Immunomodulators; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; interleukin-17; Interleukin-17 - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - physiology; nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Oxidative stress; Peptides; Protein Hydrolysates - pharmacology; Proteins; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th2 Cells - immunology; vegetable protein; wheat; wheat gluten; France; Ann Arbor Michigan; United States > US; peripheral blood mononuclear cells; bioactive peptides; antioxidant capacity; glutathione; pro-inflammatory cytokines; wheat gluten protein hydrolysates; oxidative stress
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu12061673

Peptides from several plant food proteins not only maintain the nutritional values of the original protein and decrease the environmental impact of animal agriculture, but also exert biological activities with significant health-beneficial effects. Wheat is the most important food grain source in the world. However, negative attention on wheat-based products has arose due to the role of gluten in celiac disease. A controlled enzymatic hydrolysis could reduce the antigenicity of wheat gluten protein hydrolysates (WGPHs). Therefore, the aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of the in vitro administration of Alcalase-generated WGPHs on the immunological and antioxidant responses of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 39 healthy subjects. WGPH treatment reduced cell proliferation and the production of the Type 1 T helper (Th1) and Th17 pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-17, respectively. WPGHs also improved the cellular anti-inflammatory microenvironment, increasing Th2/Th1 and Th2/Th17 balances. Additionally, WGPHs improved global antioxidant capacity, increased levels of the reduced form of glutathione and reduced nitric oxide production. These findings, not previously reported, highlight the beneficial capacity of these vegetable protein hydrolysates, which might represent an effective alternative in functional food generation.