Peptides and hydrolysates from casein and soy protein modulate the release of vasoactive substances from human aortic endothelial cells

Food proteins were shown to affect atherogenic risk factors, which is supposed to be related to specific peptide sequences encrypted within their primary sequence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of peptides and hydrolysates from two food proteins, casein and soy protein.. on endothelial cell functions (cell proliferation and release of vasoactive substances). Cell proliferation was not influenced by dipeptides and most of the tripeptides, whereas several total hydrolysates from casein and soy protein inhibited cell proliferation at higher concentrations (>0.25 mg/mL; P<0.05). The release of one or more of the vasoactive substances, thromboxan B-2 (stable marker of thromboxan A(2)), 6-keto-prostaglandin F-1alpha (stable marker of prostaglandin I-2), endothelin-1, and nitric oxide, was significantly influenced by the incubation with various peptides compared with control cells (P<0.05). Various hydrolysate fractions from casein and soy protein influenced the release of 6-keto-prostaglandin F-1alpha and nitric oxide (P<0.05) but did not influence the release of thromboxan B-2 and endothelin-1. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that peptides and hydrolysate fractions from casein and soy protein influence endothelial cell function as evidenced by the modulation of endothelial cell proliferation and alterations in the release of vasoactive substances. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.