In vitro evaluation of the effect of the buckwheat protein hydrolysate on bacterial adhesion, physiology and cytokine secretion of Caco-2 cells

Due to the high nutritional value of buckwheat, its protein hydrolysates are a promising candidate for constructing food supplements. However; the preparation of the said hydrolysates requires the analysis estimating their biological activity for the great importance of the gut homeostasis and its impact on the human health status. For that reason, this study aimed at determining the biological function of the buckwheat protein hydrolysates in terms of modulating bacterial activity. The impact of the buckwheat protein hydrolysates on the proliferation and survival rate as well as on the adhesion of bacteria from the following genera: Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Escherichia as typical representatives of the small intestine microbiota, was studied. In addition, the impact of analyzed hydrolysates on the proliferation of Caco-2 cell and their secretion of interleukin 8 (IL-8) was assessed. The degree of hydrolysis determined the nature of hydrolysates conditioning their size and molecular weight. Although the buckwheat protein hydrolysates slowed down the mitotic process in the intestinal cell and increased the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine, they also beneficially modulated microorganisms. The buckwheat protein hydrolysates stimulated the proliferation rate of all analyzed bacterial strains with a simultaneous low percentage of dying out. In addition, they facilitated the adhesion of lactic acid bacteria in mono- and heterogeneous cultures and thus are a promising component for compensating the negative response of enterocytic cells.