title: Food-protein enzymatic hydrolysates possess both antimicrobial and immunostimulatory activities: a "cause and effect" theory of bifunctionality.
abstract: The antimicrobial activity (the ability to activate the microbial autolytic system) and immunostimulatory activity (the ability to improve the phagocytic cell functioning) of 20 food-protein hydrolysates [five food proteins (casein, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, ovalbumin and serum albumin) hydrolyzed with four gastrointestinal proteinases (trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, pepsin and pancreatin)] were examined. All the food-protein hydrolysates acted antimicrobially in vitro towards all 24 microbial strains tested: autolysis of 20 naturally autolyzing strains was activated, with the autolysis activation index (K(A)) ranging from 1.04 to 22.0, while autolysis was induced to values of 2.81-56.7% in four naturally nonautolyzing strains. When given to mice per os, all the food-protein hydrolysates enhanced the phagocytosing capacity of peritoneal macrophages, with the enhancement index (K(I)) ranging from 1.02 to 1.41. A direct correlation between K(A) and K(I) was observed. We make the presumption that K(I) is a function of K(A).
authors.affiliation: Immunomodulators Research Sector, Institute of Immunology, Vilnius University, 29 Molètu plentas, LT-08409 Vilnius, Lithuania. gabiz@imi.it
authors.forename: Gediminas A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Biziulevicius
authors.forename: Olga V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Kislukhina
authors.forename: Jurgita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kazlauskaite
authors.forename: Vilhelmina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zukaite
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000201:enzymology; D006868:Hydrolysis; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008954:Models, Biological; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D011492:Protein Hydrolysates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D011492:Protein Hydrolysates; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases