The Food Matrix and the Gastrointestinal Fluids Alter the Features of Silver Nanoparticles.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used in the agri-food sector, which can lead to their ingestion. Their interaction with food and their passage through the gastrointestinal tract can alter their properties and influence their fate upon ingestion. Therefore, this study aims at developing an in vitro method to follow the fate of AgNPs in the gastrointestinal tract.

Soluble silver ions from silver nanoparticles induce a polarised secretion of interleukin-8 in differentiated Caco-2 cells.

Because of their antimicrobial properties, silver nanoparticles are increasingly incorporated in food-related and hygiene products, which thereby could lead to their ingestion. Although their cytotoxicity mediated by oxidative stress has been largely studied, their effects on inflammation remain controversial. Moreover, the involvement of silver ions (originating from Ag0 oxidation) in their mode of action is still unclear.

Short-term biodistribution and clearance of intravenously administered silica nanoparticles.

Recently, concerns have been raised about potential adverse effects of synthetic amorphous silica, commonly used as food additive (E551), since silica nanoparticles have been detected in food containing E551. We examined the biodistribution and excretion in female Sprague-Dawley rats of NM-200, a well characterized nanostructured silica representative for food applications. A single intravenous injection of NM-200 was applied at a dose of 20 mg/kg, followed by autopsy after 6 and 24 h.

Screening of Cytotoxic B. cereus on Differentiated Caco-2 Cells and in Co-Culture with Mucus-Secreting (HT29-MTX) Cells.

is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen able to cause diarrhoea. However, the diarrhoeal potential of a strain remains difficult to predict, because no simple correlation has yet been identified between the symptoms and a unique or a specific combination of virulence factors. In this study, 70 strains with different origins (food poisonings, foods and environment) have been selected to assess their enterotoxicity.

Proteomic response of inflammatory stimulated intestinal epithelial cells to in vitro digested plums and cabbages rich in carotenoids and polyphenols.

Due to their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory potential, polyphenol and carotenoid-rich plant foods have been suggested as promising phytochemicals in the prevention of or as adjuvants regarding inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In the present study, we investigated whether plum (Italian Plum, Prunus cocomilla), or cabbage (Kale, Brassica oleracea var. sabellica), selected for their high phytochemical content, are able to reduce inflammation in cellular models of the intestinal epithelium, employing proteomic methods.

In vitro investigation of intestinal transport mechanism of silicon, supplied as orthosilicic acid-vanillin complex.

Scope: Silicon (Si) is one of the most abundant trace elements in the body. Although pharmacokinetics data described its absorption from the diet and its body excretion, the mechanisms involved in the uptake and transport of Si across the gut wall have not been established.

Methods And Results: Caco-2 cells were used as a well-accepted in vitro model of the human intestinal epithelium to investigate the transport, across the intestinal barrier in both the absorption and excretion directions, of Si supplied as orthosilicic acid stabilized by vanillin complex (OSA-VC).

Tuning the inflammatory response to silver nanoparticles via quercetin in Caco-2 (co-)cultures as model of the human intestinal mucosa.

Interaction of nanoparticles with food matrix components may cause unpredictable health complications. Using an improved Caco-2 cell-based in vitro (co-)culture model the potential of quercetin as one of the major food flavonoids to alter the effect of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) <20 nm in the human intestinal mucosa at real life concentrations was investigated. Ag-NPs (15-90 μg/ml) decreased cell viability and reduced thiol groups, induced oxidative/nitrosative stress and lipid peroxidation and led to activity changes of various antioxidant enzymes after 3h exposure.

Inflammation related responses of intestinal cells to plum and cabbage digesta with differential carotenoid and polyphenol profiles following simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Scope: Plums/cabbages represent fruits/vegetables rich in carotenoids and polyphenols, and have been associated with anti-inflammatory properties.

Methods And Results: We tested four plum (Italian Plum, Plum 620, Ersinger, and Cherry Plum) and cabbage varieties (Duchy, Kalorama, Kale, Scots Kale) with contrasting carotenoid/polyphenol content for their capability to alter inflammation/oxidative stress following simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Digesta were exposed to Caco-2(TC-7) and to a triple-culture(Caco-2/HT-29-MTX (90:10 v/v) including THP-1 like macrophages), stimulated to induce inflammation (10 μg/mL LPS, 100 ng/mL TNF-α, 25 ng/mL IL-1-β for 24 h, the last 18 h with digesta).

Carotenoid and polyphenol bioaccessibility and cellular uptake from plum and cabbage varieties.

Plum and cabbage are rich in carotenoids and polyphenols. However, their bioactivity depends on their release and intestinal uptake. Four varieties of Brassicaceae (Duchy, Scots Kale, Kale, Kalorama) and Prunus (Cherry Plum, Plum 620, Ersinger, Italian Plum) were studied; bioaccessibility following in vitro digestion, cellular uptake (Caco-2 vs.

An accurate and sensitive Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250-based assay for protein determination.

In this protocol we present a rapid and sensitive assay for the accurate determination of protein concentration. The assay is a modification of a previous method, and measures minimum 0.2 μg protein.

Engineered nanomaterials in food: implications for food safety and consumer health.

From the current state-of-the-art, it is clear that nanotechnology applications are expected to bring a range of benefits to the food sector aiming at providing better quality and conservation. In the meantime, a growing number of studies indicate that the exposure to certain engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) has a potential to lead to health complications and that there is a need for further investigations in order to unravel the biological outcomes of nanofood consumption. In the current review, we summarize the existing data on the (potential) use of ENMs in the food industry, information on the toxicity profiles of the commonly applied ENMs, such as metal (oxide) nanoparticles (NPs), address the potential food safety implications and health hazards connected with the consumption of nanofood.

Carotenoids, polyphenols and micronutrient profiles of Brassica oleraceae and plum varieties and their contribution to measures of total antioxidant capacity.

The consumption of phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols within whole fruits and vegetables has been associated with decreased incidence of various inflammation and oxidative stress related chronic diseases, which may be due to direct antioxidant effects, or indirect mechanisms such as affecting signal transduction/gene expression. Within the present study, we investigated the antioxidant composition of two major groups of vegetables and fruits, Brassica oleraceae and prunus spp., and estimated their contribution to antioxidant capacity.

Stem cell bioprocess engineering towards cGMP production and clinical applications.

Stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells and pluripotent stem cells, are becoming an indispensable tool for various biomedical applications including drug discovery, disease modeling, and tissue engineering. Bioprocess engineering, targeting large scale production, provides a platform to generate a controlled microenvironment that could potentially recreate the stem cell niche to promote stem cell proliferation or lineage-specific differentiation. This survey aims at defining the characteristics of stem cell populations currently in use and the present-day limits in their applications for therapeutic purposes.

The anti-inflammatory effect of a pomegranate husk extract on inflamed adipocytes and macrophages cultivated independently, but not on the inflammatory vicious cycle between adipocytes and macrophages.

Obese adipose tissues contain a higher proportion of inflamed macrophages than the normal adipose tissue. Adipocytes and macrophages are known to secrete pro-inflammatory markers that establish the systemic inflammation leading to metabolic complications. CCL-2 secreted by hypertrophied adipocytes attracts and activates macrophages in the adipose tissue.

Single-cell force spectroscopy of pili-mediated adhesion.

Although bacterial pili are known to mediate cell adhesion to a variety of substrates, the molecular interactions behind this process are poorly understood. We report the direct measurement of the forces guiding pili-mediated adhesion, focusing on the medically important probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). Using non-invasive single-cell force spectroscopy (SCFS), we quantify the adhesion forces between individual bacteria and biotic (mucin, intestinal cells) or abiotic (hydrophobic monolayers) surfaces.

A dried yeast fermentate selectively modulates both the luminal and mucosal gut microbiota and protects against inflammation, as studied in an integrated in vitro approach.

EpiCor, derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been shown to have immunomodulating properties in human clinical trials and in vitro. However, the underlying mechanisms behind its immune protection via the gut remain largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use an integrated in vitro approach to evaluate the metabolism of EpiCor by the intestinal microflora, its modulating effect on the gut microbiota, and its anti-inflammatory activity on human-derived cell lines.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in enterocyte models: T84 cell line vs. Caco-2 cell line.

Human colon carcinoma cell lines such as Caco-2 cells, model of mature enterocytes and T84 cells, model of crypt cells are useful to study interactions between nutrient processing and metabolic functions at intestinal level. Our study aimed at comparing the ability of Caco-2 and T84 cells (1) to incorporate dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), (2) to process them and (3) to sort them into neutral lipids (NL), free fatty acids (FFA) and phospholipids (PL). Caco-2 and T84 cells were exposed to a 7-day long supplementation with PUFA.

In vitro toxicity assessment of silver nanoparticles in the presence of phenolic compounds--preventive agents against the harmful effect?

The increasing commercial use of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) will inevitably lead to elevated silver exposure and thus to potential human health complications. In this study the acute toxicity of Ag-NPs <20 nm alone and upon co-administration with food matrix component phenolic compounds (PCs) on the cell-based models of the gastrointestinal tract was investigated. An improved co-culture model of Caco-2 and RajiB cells was applied for more precise in vitro simulation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids on tight junctions in a model of the human intestinal epithelium under normal and inflammatory conditions.

Owing to their immune-modulatory action on the intestinal mucosa immune cells, the n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been suggested to modulate the risk and development of inflammatory bowel diseases. Failure in the intestinal barrier is an important hallmark of inflammatory bowel diseases. This study aimed at evaluating the impact of dietary PUFA on tight junction protein localisation and on the modulation of epithelial permeability under physiological conditions or under an inflammatory stress.

Development of a standardised human in vitro digestion protocol based on macronutrient digestion using response surface methodology.

Bioaccessibility studies should be taken into account when evaluating the physiological effects of ingested compounds at the intestine level. Several in vitro digestion protocols have been described, with a wide range of experimental conditions but no optimised protocol exists. In order to fill in this gap, we evaluated the influence of three continuous factors (pH, incubation time, and enzyme concentrations), in the range of values found in literature, on the digestion of standard macronutrients (starch, albumin, triolein) alone or in mixture.

Selenium bioaccessibility and bioavailability in Se-enriched food supplements.

Most European people have selenium (Se) intake inferior to recommended values that are considered necessary to ensure the beneficial action of antioxidant selenoproteins. People could therefore tend to have recourse to Se-enriched food supplements (FS) aiming to increase their Se body level. On the Belgian market, three main types of Se-rich FS are available: Se-enriched yeast, selenate-based FS, and selenite-based FS.

The dynamics of accumulation of PCBs in cultured adipocytes vary with the cell lipid content and the lipophilicity of the congener.

Lipophilic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulate in high amounts in the adipose tissue. Recent epidemiological studies correlate their presence in fat cells to possible alterations in the regulation of lipid metabolism. The factors governing their accumulation dynamics, storage and release in/from fat cells remain however unclear.

An in vitro investigation of species-dependent intestinal transport of selenium and the impact of this process on selenium bioavailability.

A range of Se species has been shown to occur in a variety of different foodstuffs. Depending on its speciation, Se is more or less bioavailable to human subjects. In the present study, the role of speciation as a determinant of Se bioavailability was addressed with an investigation of species-specific mechanisms of transport at the intestinal level.