Acidic hydrothermal processing of wheat using citrate buffer largely enhances iron and zinc bioaccessibility and bioavailability to Caco-2 cells.

Phytate chelates iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in wheat. A multifactorial experiment showed that hydrothermal processing (45-60 °C, pH 4.0-6.

Probing Long-Term Impacts: Low-Dose Polystyrene Nanoplastics Exacerbate Mitochondrial Health and Evoke Secondary Glycolysis via Repeated and Single Dosing.

Nanoplastics (NPs) are omnipresent in the environment and contribute to human exposure. However, little is known regarding the long-term effects of NPs on human health. In this study, human intestinal Caco-2 cells were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (nanoPS) in an environmentally relevant concentration range (10-10 particles/mL) under two realistic exposure scenarios.

Bioenergetic effects of pristine and ultraviolet-weathered polydisperse polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene nanoplastics on human intestinal Caco-2 cells.

The ubiquitous human exposure to nanoplastics (NPs) increasingly raises concerns regarding impact on our health. However, little is known on the biological effects of complex mixtures of weathered NPs with heterogenous size and irregular shape present in the environment. In this study, the bioenergetic effects of four such NPs mixtures on human intestinal Caco-2 cells were investigated.

Cellular and bioenergetic effects of polystyrene microplastic in function of cell type, differentiation status and post-exposure time.

The ubiquity of microplastics (MPs) in food sources and personal care products increasingly raises concerns on human health. However, little is known about the duration of the effects of MPs and whether effects depend on cellular differentiation status. Herein, cellular and bioenergetic effects of MPs in different exposure scenarios on four types of human cell lines derived from lung (A549 and BEAS-2B), colon (Caco-2) and liver (HepG2) were investigated.

New insights into the combined toxicity of aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1 in HepG2 cells using Seahorse respirometry analysis and RNA transcriptome sequencing.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) are widely (co-)detected in food and known for their hepatotoxicity in humans. Still, their combined toxicity needs to be investigated, especially the impact on mitochondria. In our previous work, we examined the effect of short-term exposure to different doses of AFB1, FB1, and their binary mixture (MIX) on the bioenergetic status of HepG2 cells, a well-recognized in vitro model system for studying liver cell function.

Rare Sugar Metabolism and Impact on Insulin Sensitivity along the Gut-Liver-Muscle Axis In Vitro.

Rare sugars have recently attracted attention as potential sugar replacers. Understanding the biochemical and biological behavior of these sugars is of importance in (novel) food formulations and prevention of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we investigated whether rare sugars may positively affect intestinal and liver metabolism, as well as muscle insulin sensitivity, compared to conventional sugars.

In vitro bioaccessibility and uptake of β-carotene from encapsulated carotenoids from mango by-products in a coupled gastrointestinal digestion/Caco-2 cell model.

β-carotene is a carotenoid with provitamin A activity and other health benefits, which needs to become bioavailable upon oral intake to exert its biological activity. A better understanding of its behaviour and stability in the gastrointestinal tract and means to increase its bioavailability are highly needed. Using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion method coupled to an intestinal cell model, we explored the stability, gastrointestinal bioaccessibility and cellular uptake of β-carotene from microparticles containing carotenoid extracts derived from mango by-products.

Bioenergetic Status of the Intestinal and Hepatic Cells after Short Term Exposure to Fumonisin B1 and Aflatoxin B1.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are frequent contaminants of staple foods such as maize. Oral exposure to these toxins poses health hazards by disrupting cellular signaling. However, little is known regarding the multifaced mitochondrial dysfunction-linked toxicity of FB1 and AFB1.

Quercetin Mitigates Endothelial Activation in a Novel Intestinal-Endothelial-Monocyte/Macrophage Coculture Setup.

Atherosclerosis initiation is associated with a pro-inflammatory state of the endothelium. Quercetin is a flavonoid abundantly present in plant-based foods, with a possible impact on cardiovascular health. In this study, the effects of quercetin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated endothelial inflammation and monocyte adhesion and migration, which are initial steps of the atherogenic process, are studied.

Metabolism and Health Effects of Rare Sugars in a CACO-2/HepG2 Coculture Model.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent liver disease worldwide and is impacted by an unhealthy diet with excessive calories, although the role of sugars in NAFLD etiology remains largely unexplored. Rare sugars are natural sugars with alternative monomers and glycosidic bonds, which have attracted attention as sugar replacers due to developments in enzyme engineering and hence an increased availability. We studied the impact of (rare) sugars on energy production, liver cell physiology and gene expression in human intestinal colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells, hepatoma G2 (HepG2) liver cells and a coculture model with these cells.

Sweet Biotechnology: Enzymatic Production and Digestibility Screening of Novel Kojibiose and Nigerose Analogues.

In view of the global pandemic of obesity and related metabolic diseases, there is an increased interest in alternative carbohydrates with promising physiochemical and health-related properties as a potential replacement for traditional sugars. However, our current knowledge is limited to only a small selection of carbohydrates, whereas the majority of alternative rare carbohydrates and especially their properties remain to be investigated. Unraveling their potential properties, like digestibility and glycemic content, could unlock their use in industrial applications.

Bioavailability and Health Impact of Ingested Amyloid-like Protein Fibrils and their Link with Inflammatory Status: A Need for More Research?

The use of amyloid-like protein fibrils (ALFs) in food formulations looks very promising in terms of improving techno-functional properties, but raises some concerns in terms of food safety, because of their structural resemblance to disease-related endogenous amyloids. This review focuses on the biological fate and potential health implications of ingested ALF structures in both healthy and predisposed individuals. A comprehensive overview of ALF gastrointestinal digestion, intestinal absorption, and systemic dissemination is provided, in addition to a thorough assessment of potential ALF cross-seeding of endogenous precursor proteins linked to (non)neurodegenerative amyloidosis.

A two-front nutritional environment fuels colorectal cancer: perspectives for dietary intervention.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops and progresses in a nutritional environment comprising a continuously changing luminal cocktail of external dietary and microbial factors on the apical side, and a dynamic host-related pool of systemic factors on the serosal side. In this review, we highlight how this two-front environment influences the bioenergetic status of colonocytes throughout CRC development from (cancer) stem cells to cancer cells in nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor conditions, and eventually to metastatic cells, which, upon entry to the circulation and during metastatic seeding, are forced to metabolically adapt. Furthermore, given the influence of diet on the two-front nutritional environment, we discuss dietary strategies that target the specific metabolic preferences of these cells, with a possible impact on colon cancer cell bioenergetics and CRC outcome.

Intracellular quercetin accumulation and its impact on mitochondrial dysfunction in intestinal Caco-2 cells.

Purpose: Flavonoid bioavailability and bioactivity is associated with interindividual variability, which is partially due to differences in health status. Previously, it was demonstrated that cellular stress, especially mitochondrial stress, increases intracellular quercetin uptake and this is associated with beneficial health effects. Here, the impact of quercetin on mitochondrial dysfunction, induced by stressors targeting different sites of the electron transport chain, is investigated.

Flavonoids and cellular stress: a complex interplay affecting human health.

Flavonoid consumption has beneficial effects on human health, however, clinical evidence remains often inconclusive due to high interindividual variability. Although this high interindividual variability has been consistently observed in flavonoid research, the potential underlying reasons are still poorly studied. Especially the knowledge on the impact of health status on flavonoid responsiveness is limited and merits more investigation.

Method for beta-carotene extraction from processed baby foods as a model for plant-based fatty food products.

Reliable quantitative determination of carotenoids in complex food matrices such as processed baby food products is challenging because of their incorporation in rigid cellular structures, their sensitivity to oxidation and their lipophilic character. A one-pot liquid-liquid β-carotene extraction procedure is described for solid baby foods, in the presence of enzymes (Clara-Diastase and Rapidase) facilitating matrix disintegration. The combined extraction and enzymatic dissolution not only protected β-carotene from oxidation compared to the sequential approach, but also reduced the use of solvents and amount of filtrations steps, favouring a higher recovery.

Microplastics in the human digestive environment: A focus on the potential and challenges facing in vitro gut model development.

Plastic pollution is a major issue worldwide, generating massive amounts of smaller plastic particles, including microplastics (MPs). Their ubiquitous nature in the environment but also in foodstuff and consumer packaged goods has revealed potential threats to humans who can be contaminated mainly through air, food and water consumption. In this review, the current literature on human exposure to MPs is summarized with a focus on the gastrointestinal tract as portal of entry.

Co-Ingestion of Black Carrot and Strawberry. Effects on Anthocyanin Stability, Bioaccessibility and Uptake.

Although the fate of anthocyanins along digestion has been a matter of research over the last decade, their bioaccessibility so far has been mainly assessed for single administered fruits or vegetables, which is far from the real scenario where they are co-ingested in a meal. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of simultaneous intake of fruit and vegetable on in vitro stability, bioaccessibility and uptake of anthocyanins. Black carrot and strawberry were used as food sources of anthocyanins.

Chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities of the extracts isolated from the pomace of rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.).

In the present work, acetone, ethanol and water extracts of rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.) pomace were evaluated for their antiproliferative, antimicrobial and antioxidative effects. Chemical composition of the extracts was determined by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and spectrophotometric methods.

Rare mono- and disaccharides as healthy alternative for traditional sugars and sweeteners?

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are major health problems affecting hundreds of millions of people. Caloric overfeeding with calorie-dense food ingredients like sugars may contribute to these chronic diseases. Sugar research has also identified mechanisms via which conventional sugars like sucrose and fructose can adversely influence metabolic health.

Cell line-dependent increase in cellular quercetin accumulation upon stress induced by valinomycin and lipopolysaccharide, but not by TNF-α.

As the interface between the luminal and internal environment, the intestinal epithelium is strongly exposed to food-related, host-related and microbial stress. Furthermore, the endothelial stress response plays an important role in vascular disease development, which may be improved upon consumption of dietary bioactives such as polyphenols. The impact of the latter, however, is largely individual-dependent and effects are, in most cases, only observed under mild diseased conditions.

Synthesis of 1,4-Thiazepane-Based Curcuminoids with Promising Anticancer Activity.

Curcumin, the main component of turmeric (Curcuma longa) is known to display an interesting bioactivity profile, including pronounced anticancer properties. However, its low bioavailability, metabolic instability and nonspecific activity are concerns that have to be addressed before curcuminoids can be considered for therapeutic applications. Within that framework, intensive research has been carried out in the last decades to develop new curcumin derivatives, generally centered on standard modifications of the sp curcumin framework, with the aim to augment its bioavailability while maintaining or improving its anticancer properties.

The Intestinal Fate of Citrus Flavanones and Their Effects on Gastrointestinal Health.

Citrus flavanones, with hesperidin and naringin as the most abundant representatives, have various beneficial effects, including anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Evidence also indicates that they may impact the intestinal microbiome and are metabolized by the microbiota as well, thereby affecting their bioavailability. In this review, we provide an overview on the current evidence on the intestinal fate of hesperidin and naringin, their interaction with the gut microbiota, and their effects on intestinal barrier function and intestinal inflammation.

The response of five intestinal cell lines to anoxic conditions in vitro.

Background Information: In vivo oxygen levels in tissues range from 1% to 15%, while mechanistic cell culture studies employ an atmospheric oxygen level of 21% to grow cells. These oxygen concentrations are therefore not representative for conditions where the cell response is dependent on oxygen partial pressure. In pathological situation, such as (colon) cancer or chronic inflammation, tissue oxygenation is severely affected, and even under physiological conditions a steep oxygen gradient is present in the large intestine, where epithelial cells co-exist with microbial species, resulting in almost anoxia at the midpoint of the lumen.

Synthesis of Non-Symmetrical Nitrogen-Containing Curcuminoids in the Pursuit of New Anticancer Candidates.

Curcumin is known to display pronounced anticancer effects and a variety of other biological activities. However, the low bioavailability and fast metabolism of this molecule present an issue of concern with respect to its medicinal applications. To address this issue, structural modifications of the curcumin scaffold can be envisioned as a strategy to improve both the solubility and stability of this chemical entity, without compromising its biological activities.