Simulated gastrointestinal digests of corn protein hydrolysate alleviate inflammation in caco-2 cells and a mouse model of colitis.

Inflammatory bowel disease, a typical chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, make up a growing share of the global disease burden. This study firstly evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of corn protein hydrolysate (CPH) using a cell model of tumor cell necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammation and a mouse model of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate. CPH digests significantly inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and reduced the secretion of interleukin-8 in TNF-α-induced inflammation in Caco-2 cells. In mice, CPH digests significantly improved the body weight loss, clinical scores, shortening of the colon and histological symptoms, and decreased the myeloperoxidase activity, and down regulated the expression of TNF-α, and interleukin-6 in the colon. The above results indicate that the CPH can potentially be used as a health food/nutraceutical for the treatment/management of intestinal inflammation.