Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) soft tissue extract attenuates TNF-α induced inflammation in a Caco-2 cell line

Marine food is well known to be rich in bioactive molecules that can aid in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Among them, bivalve mollusks such as the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) have been receiving growing interest due to their high nutritional and medicinal value. This study evaluated the chemical composition of Pacific oyster soft tissue extract (OE) and investigated its potential anti-inflammatory effects on human intestinal epithelial cells. The nutritional value including moisture, total protein, ash, total lipids, fatty acids (FAs), amino acids and minerals was analyzed, as well as polyphenol and carotenoid contents. The potential anti-inflammatory activity was tested at 5, 50, and 500 mu g mL-1 concentrations of OE against TNF-alpha induced inflammation in the intestinal human epithelial cell line Caco-2. OE was shown to reduce both the TNF-alpha induced activation of the NF-kappa B pathway and the alteration of the epithelial barrier integrity. The present findings might provide evidence for further understanding how whole dried oyster meat can be developed as a low-cost nutraceutical dietary supplement and thus can offer a natural alternative to alleviate intestinal inflammation associated with different chronic diseases.