Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 Macrophages
Sweet whey (SW), a by-product of cheese production, has potential immunomodulatory properties that could be beneficial in preventing inflammation-related diseases. This study investigated the effects of SW derived from bovine, caprine, ovine, or an ovine/caprine mixture of milk on inflammation-relat...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Eleni Dalaka Georgios C. Stefos Ioannis Politis Georgios Theodorou |
| author_facet | Eleni Dalaka Georgios C. Stefos Ioannis Politis Georgios Theodorou |
| author_sort | Eleni Dalaka |
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| description | Sweet whey (SW), a by-product of cheese production, has potential immunomodulatory properties that could be beneficial in preventing inflammation-related diseases. This study investigated the effects of SW derived from bovine, caprine, ovine, or an ovine/caprine mixture of milk on inflammation-related gene expression in THP-1-derived macrophages, both with and without LPS stimulation. Cells were treated with SW-D-P3 (a fraction smaller than 3 kDa produced by in vitro digestion), and the expression of inflammation-related genes was assessed using quantitative PCR. Results showed that the expression of <i>TLR2</i> and <i>ICAM1</i> was attenuated in non-LPS-stimulated macrophages treated with SW-D-P3, regardless of animal origin. Moreover, the expression of <i>TLR4</i>, <i>IL1B,</i> and <i>IL6</i> was decreased and the expression of an NF-κB subunit <i>RELA</i> and <i>CXCL8</i> was elevated in a subset of samples treated with SW-D-P3, depending on the milk source. In LPS-challenged cells, the expression of <i>CXCL8</i> was upregulated and the expression of <i>IRF5</i> and <i>TNFRSF1A</i> was downregulated in SW-D-P3-treated cells, regardless of animal origin. On the other hand, a number of inflammation-related genes were differentially expressed depending on the animal origin of the samples. Moreover, the higher <i>IL10</i> expression observed in cells treated with ovine/caprine SW-D-P3 compared to those treated with SW-D-P3 of bovine, caprine, or ovine origin suggests an anti-inflammatory response, in which alternatively activated macrophages (M2 polarization phenotype) may participate. Overall, these findings suggest that incorporating SW into the food industry, either as a standalone ingredient or supplement, may help to prevent inflammation-related diseases. |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-1a67b2e69bd94be3b69f5d2c8dd4deb12025-08-20T01:48:48ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-03-01306126110.3390/molecules30061261Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 MacrophagesEleni Dalaka0Georgios C. Stefos1Ioannis Politis2Georgios Theodorou3Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, GreeceSweet whey (SW), a by-product of cheese production, has potential immunomodulatory properties that could be beneficial in preventing inflammation-related diseases. This study investigated the effects of SW derived from bovine, caprine, ovine, or an ovine/caprine mixture of milk on inflammation-related gene expression in THP-1-derived macrophages, both with and without LPS stimulation. Cells were treated with SW-D-P3 (a fraction smaller than 3 kDa produced by in vitro digestion), and the expression of inflammation-related genes was assessed using quantitative PCR. Results showed that the expression of <i>TLR2</i> and <i>ICAM1</i> was attenuated in non-LPS-stimulated macrophages treated with SW-D-P3, regardless of animal origin. Moreover, the expression of <i>TLR4</i>, <i>IL1B,</i> and <i>IL6</i> was decreased and the expression of an NF-κB subunit <i>RELA</i> and <i>CXCL8</i> was elevated in a subset of samples treated with SW-D-P3, depending on the milk source. In LPS-challenged cells, the expression of <i>CXCL8</i> was upregulated and the expression of <i>IRF5</i> and <i>TNFRSF1A</i> was downregulated in SW-D-P3-treated cells, regardless of animal origin. On the other hand, a number of inflammation-related genes were differentially expressed depending on the animal origin of the samples. Moreover, the higher <i>IL10</i> expression observed in cells treated with ovine/caprine SW-D-P3 compared to those treated with SW-D-P3 of bovine, caprine, or ovine origin suggests an anti-inflammatory response, in which alternatively activated macrophages (M2 polarization phenotype) may participate. Overall, these findings suggest that incorporating SW into the food industry, either as a standalone ingredient or supplement, may help to prevent inflammation-related diseases.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/6/1261INFOGESTcheese wheyinflammationqPCR |
| spellingShingle | Eleni Dalaka Georgios C. Stefos Ioannis Politis Georgios Theodorou Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 Macrophages Molecules INFOGEST cheese whey inflammation qPCR |
| title | Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 Macrophages |
| title_full | Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 Macrophages |
| title_fullStr | Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 Macrophages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 Macrophages |
| title_short | Immunomodulatory Properties of Sweet Whey-Derived Peptides in THP-1 Macrophages |
| title_sort | immunomodulatory properties of sweet whey derived peptides in thp 1 macrophages |
| topic | INFOGEST cheese whey inflammation qPCR |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/6/1261 |
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