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Edible Plants and Their Components as Functional Foods Promoting the Health of the Gut Barrier

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Dear Colleagues,

Edible plants are sources of macromolecules, vitamins, minerals, and functional compounds, engaged in either homeostatic or pathological processes. These food components interact with gut barrier, which plays a crucial role in homeostasis. For instance, polyphenols and fibers are known to modulate the diverse functions of the gut epithelia, such as the biological barrier, immunity, antioxidant defense, and nutrient transport. They also have indirect roles in the reciprocal interaction with resident microbiota, which influences and is influenced by natural compounds.

Therefore, this Special Issue will gather the most recent findings concerning the compositions of edible plants and derived ingredients with potential roles as functional foods that protect the gut barrier. Collecting novel evidence should prompt the development of innovative functional food and nutraceuticals.

The Special Issue welcomes articles and reviews concerning the following topics:

- The compositions of edible plants with renewed interest as functional foods;

- The formulation and oral delivery of food ingredients from edible plants;

- The fates of edible plants and their components at gut level;

- The biological roles of edible plants in the gut barrier.

Dr. Stefano Piazza
Dr. Paolo Governa
Guest Editors

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16 pages, 3118 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Insights into the Dietary Role of Glucoraphanin and Its Metabolite Sulforaphane in Celiac Disease

by Elisa Sonzogni, Giulia Martinelli, Marco Fumagalli, Nicole Maranta, Carola Pozzoli, Corinne Bani, Luigi Alberto Marrari, Chiara Di Lorenzo, Enrico Sangiovanni, Mario Dell’Agli and Stefano Piazza

Nutrients 2024, 16(16), 2743; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16162743 - 17 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1283

Abstract

Sulforaphane is considered the bioactive metabolite of glucoraphanin after dietary consumption of broccoli sprouts. Although both molecules pass through the gut lumen to the large intestine in stable form, their biological impact on the first intestinal tract is poorly described. In celiac patients, the function of the small intestine is affected by celiac disease (CD), whose severe outcomes are controlled by gluten-free dietary protocols. Nevertheless, pathological signs of inflammation and oxidative stress may persist. The aim of this study was to compare the biological activity of sulforaphane with its precursor glucoraphanin in a cellular model of gliadin-induced inflammation. Human intestinal epithelial cells (CaCo-2) were stimulated with a pro-inflammatory combination of cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β) and in-vitro-digested gliadin, while oxidative stress was induced by H₂O₂. LC-MS/MS analysis confirmed that sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts was stable after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. It inhibited the release of all chemokines selected as inflammatory read-outs, with a more potent effect against MCP-1 (IC₅₀ = 7.81 µM). On the contrary, glucoraphanin (50 µM) was inactive. The molecules were unable to counteract the oxidative damage to DNA (γ-H2AX) and catalase levels; however, the activity of NF-κB and Nrf-2 was modulated by both molecules. The impact on epithelial permeability (TEER) was also evaluated in a Transwell^® model. In the context of a pro-inflammatory combination including gliadin, TEER values were recovered by neither sulforaphane nor glucoraphanin. Conversely, in the context of co-culture with activated macrophages (THP-1), sulforaphane inhibited the release of MCP-1 (IC₅₀ = 20.60 µM) and IL-1β (IC₅₀ = 1.50 µM) only, but both molecules restored epithelial integrity at 50 µM. Our work suggests that glucoraphanin should not merely be considered as just an inert precursor at the small intestine level, thus suggesting a potential interest in the framework of CD. Its biological activity might imply, at least in part, molecular mechanisms different from sulforaphane. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edible Plants and Their Components as Functional Foods Promoting the Health of the Gut Barrier)

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