Explorative Screening of Bioactivities Generated by Plant-Based Proteins after In Vitro Static Gastrointestinal Digestion

Abstract

The gastrointestinal digestion of food proteins can generate peptides with a wide range of biological activities. In this study, we screened various potential bioactivities generated by plant-based proteins. Whey protein as an animal protein reference, five grades of pea protein, two grades of wheat protein, and potato, fava bean, and oat proteins were submitted to in vitro SGID. They were then tested in vitro for several bioactivities including measures on: (1) energy homeostasis through their ability to modulate intestinal hormone secretion, to inhibit DPP-IV activity, and to interact with opioid receptors; (2) anti-hypertensive properties through their ability to inhibit ACE activity; (3) anti-inflammatory properties in Caco-2 cells; (4) antioxidant properties through their ability to inhibit production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Protein intestinal digestions were able to stimulate intestinal hormone secretion by enteroendocrine cells, to inhibit DPP-IV and ACE activities, to bind opioid receptors, and surprisingly, to decrease production of ROS. Neither pro- nor anti-inflammatory effects have been highlighted and some proteins lost their pro-inflammatory potential after digestion. The best candidates were pea, potato, and fava bean proteins.

Lentil and Fava Bean With Contrasting Germination Kinetics: A Focus on Digestion of Proteins and Bioactivity of Resistant Peptides

“…In general, ACE inhibitory activity significantly increased in the gastric phase of digestion (except for the dry seeds of BL, BL0) and was maintained up to the end of intestinal digestion with the exception of GZL and ZF sprouts in which IC 50 values significantly increased. These results indicate that simulated gastrointestinal digestion of different legume types generates peptides with different sizes, sequences, and structures that potentially explain the differences observed in terms of bioactivity (Dugardin et al, 2020 ). By comparing dry and sprouted seeds, clear differences were observed at each phase of digestion.…”

In Vivo and In Vitro Comparison of the DPP-IV Inhibitory Potential of Food Proteins from Different Origins after Gastrointestinal Digestion

“…Currently, researchers are focusing on mechanisms involving the direct effect of protein-derived peptides and amino acids on (i) the stimulation of insulin secretion by pancreatic cells [ 19 ], (ii) the stimulation of incretin secretion (GIP, GLP-1) and cholecystokinin by enteroendocrine cells [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ], (iii) the inhibition of intestinal glucose uptake [ 24 ], and (iv) the inhibition of the enzymes involved in the regulation of the glucose level (i.e., DPP-IV and α-glucosidase) [ 25 ]. As a consequence, many studies have focused on natural DPP-IV inhibitors originating from the hydrolysis of dietary proteins [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ].…”

An Exploratory Study of the Role of Dietary Proteins in the Regulation of Intestinal Glucose Absorption

“…Some of them also reduced GLUT2 mRNA expression in enterocytes, the best ones being pea proteins and gluten. The ability of several plant-based proteins (among which pea proteins) to modulate glucose homeostasis has already been highlighted in vitro through GLP-1 secretion induction and DPP-IV activity inhibition ( 40 ). Our study provides evidence that plant-based proteins could improve glucose homeostasis through the reduction of intestinal glucose uptake.…”

“…During the digestion of food proteins, the action of digestive proteases in the different compartments of the gastrointestinal tract generates peptides of varying size, sequence, and structure, which can exert numerous biological activities (37). However, studies comparing the effect of different protein sources on their bioactivities are limited (38)(39)(40). The aim of the present work was thus to compare the acute effect of animal and vegetal proteins from diverse origins on glucose homeostasis.…”