Abstract
Dietary fibers have been shown to exert immune effects via interaction with pattern recognition receptors (PRR) such as toll-like receptors (TLR) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors. Pectin is a dietary fiber that interacts with PRR depending on its chemical structure. Papaya pectin retains different chemical structures at different ripening stages. How this influence PRR signaling is unknown. The aim of this work was to determine how ripening influences pectin structures and their ability to interact with TLR2, 3, 4, 5 and 9, and NOD1 and 2. It was evaluated the interaction of the water-soluble fractions rich in pectin extracted from unripe to ripe papayas. The pectin extracted from ripe papayas activated all the TLR and, to a lesser extent, the NOD receptors. The pectin extracted from unripe papayas also activated TLR2, 4 and 5 but inhibited the activation of TLR3 and 9. The differences in pectin structures are the higher methyl esterification and smaller galacturonan chains of pectin from ripe papayas. Our finding might lead to selection of ripening stages for tailored modulation of PRR to support or attenuate immunity.
Highlights
Dietary fibers (DF) commonly represent a wide variety of polysaccharides originating from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes with several health benefits
The papaya water-soluble fraction (WSF) isolated from the fruit pulp is mostly composed of pectin (~95%) but has different structural features depending on the papaya ripening stage[18]
The aim of this work was to determine how papaya ripening influences pectin structure and its ability to signaling via TLR2, 3, 4, 5 and 9, and NOD1 and 2
Summary
Dietary fibers (DF) commonly represent a wide variety of polysaccharides originating from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes with several health benefits. NOD are proteins responsible for the recognition of intracellular bacteria[10] Through this signaling via PRR, DF have been shown to mediate several host effects, such as reducing intestinal permeability and thereby supporting gut barrier function[12,13], supporting immune responses against pathogens[14] and reducing intestinal inflammation[6]. The papaya water-soluble fraction (WSF) isolated from the fruit pulp is mostly composed of pectin (~95%) but has different structural features depending on the papaya ripening stage[18] These different pectin structures may have different host effects by differential modulation of PRR signaling[6,12]. The polysaccharide structure–function association is essential to predict and to obtain desired biological effects in consumers To this end, we evaluated the effects of a pectin-rich WSF isolated from papaya fruit at different ripening stages (unripe to fully ripe) on PRR signaling
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