Polysaccharides from raw and cooked chayote modulate macrophage function

Author(s)

Castro-Alves, Victor Costa ^[1] ; Oliveira do Nascimento, Joao Roberto ^{[2, 1, 3, 4, 5]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Phamtaceut Sci, Dept Food Sci & Expt Nutr, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, NAPAN Food & Nutr Res Ctr, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Sao Paulo Res Fdn, CEPID FAPESP, Food Res Ctr FoRC, Res Ctr, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Sao Paulo Res Fdn, CEPID FAPESP, Food Res Ctr FoRC, Innovat Ctr, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Sao Paulo Res Fdn, CEPID FAPESP, Food Res Ctr FoRC, Disseminat Ctr, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Food Research International; v. 81, p. 171-179, MAR 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

Chayote (Sechium edule) pulp is consumed raw or cooked and is source of polysaccharides with potential immunomodulatory properties in macrophages, which are cells that play important roles in homeostasis and innate immune responses to pathogens; however, these immunomodulatory effects of chayote polysaccharides remain unknown. Therefore, polysaccharides from raw (SeR) and cooked (SeC) chayote and from the hot water extract obtained after heating (SeH) were analyzed for their composition and effects on macrophages. Chayote has a high- (340 kDa) and a low- (46 kDa) molecular weight (MW) polysaccharide fraction containing high amounts of galactose, arabinose and galacturonic acid. After cooking, SeC was enriched in high-MW galactose-rich fractions, whereas SeH was enriched in low-MW arabinans and homogalaturonans-rich fractions. The polysaccharides induced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide (NO) secretion in macrophages; however, only SeR and SeH reduced TNF-alpha, NO and interleukin-6 secretion in activated macrophages. Furthermore, SeR and SeCW, but not SeC, affected phagocytic activity. In conclusion, bioactive polysaccharides in chayote modulate macrophage functions, and minor changes in composition resulting from the solubilization of a small proportion of low-MW arabinans and homogalacturonans during cooking accounted for the different effects of raw and cooked chayote. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/07914-8 - FoRC - Food Research Center
• Grantee: Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC