The in vitro digestates from Brussels sprouts processed with various hydrothermal treatments affect the intestinal epithelial cell differentiation, mitochondrial polarization and glutathione level

Abstract

Brussels sprouts provide bioactive compounds with widely acknowledged health-promoting effects observed in various levels: single cells, organs and tissues, or the whole organism. However, the choice of the appropriate hydrothermal processing is critical to sustain the nutritional values and cytoprotective activities, as Brussels sprouts are rarely eaten raw. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of various culinary methods (boiling, steaming, and sous-vide in comparison to raw plant material) applied to Brussels sprouts on the chosen functions of liver and intestinal cell lines (HepG2 and Caco-2, respectively): the markers of enterocyte differentiation (alkaline phosphatase and sucrase-isomaltase activities and protein level), glutathione store management (total GSH concentration and Glu, Gly, Cys and Met amino acids analysis) and mitochondrial polarization (JC-1 staining analysis). The in vitro digestates from raw Brussels sprouts had a stronger positive effect on the enterocyte marker enzymes in the Caco-2 cultures as compared to the digestates from the hydrothermally processed vegetables (boiled, steamed, and sous-vide). The sous-vide method diminished the intracellular glutathione stores. Hydrothermal processing, particularly steaming and sous-vide had a negative impact on the mitochondrial abundance and polarization as compared to raw vegetables. Our results suggest that shorter processing is more beneficial to retain glutathione and mitochondrial polarization than longer hydrothermal treatment.