SPECIFIC INTERACTION OF FOOD PROTEINS WITH APICAL MEMBRANES OF THE HUMAN INTESTINAL-CELL LINES CACO-2 AND T84

A comparison between the intestinal epithelial cell lines Caco-2 and T 84 was made to assess the influence of enterocytic differentiation on food protein binding capacities of the brush border membrane. Cell mor phology and expression of brush border-associated enzymes were studied as differentiation markers. Food protein binding to isolated brush bo rder membranes was measured with a dot blot chemiluminescence assay. E arly at confluence, Caco-2 cells exhibited a more differentiated state compared to T84 cells. Brush border membranes of both cell lines boun d gliadin peptides, beta-lactoglobulin and ovalbumin specifically. Bin ding capacities increased from gliadin peptides to ovalbumin to beta-l actoglobulin. There was correlation of membrane binding capacity with degree of cell differentiation. Due to their similarity to small intes tinal epithelial cells, the colon carcinoma cell lines Caco-2 and T84 represent models for studying food protein-enterocytic brush border me mbrane interactions in relation to varying degrees of cell differentia tion. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.