Hydrolyzed fish proteins (H-pro) contains high concentrations of free amino acids and low molecular peptides that potentially benefit health. The following study aimed to test whether the water soluble phase of H-pro could reduce apoptosis and inflammation in primary liver cells isolated from Atlantic salmon following H2O2 provoked oxidative stress. Cells were grown as monocultures or co-cultured with head kidney cells to assess possible cross talk in inflammation and metabolism during treatments. Cells were grown in media with or without H-pro for 2 days before being stressed with 200 µM H2O2 then harvested 24 h post exposure. Both treatments were compared to the respective treatments without H2O2 supplementation. Oxidative stressed cells had increased activation of caspase-3, but supplementation with H-pro in the media prior to the oxidative stress reduced caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, free amino acids and low molecular weight peptides from H-pro attenuated oxidative stress, and made cells able to withstand apoptosis after H2O2 provoked oxidative stress.
Keywords: Atlantic salmon; Caspase-3; Co-cultures; Head kidney cells; Hydrolyzed proteins; Oxidative stress; Primary liver cells; Viability.