In this study, pyrralylisoleucine (Pyrr-Ile) and pyrralylalanine (Pyrr-Ala), two dipeptide-bound pyrralines with different C-termini were synthesized as the representatives of dietary advanced glycation end products (dAGEs). The structures of Pyrr-Ile and Pyrr-Ala were characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Then, the transport of Pyrr-Ile and Pyrr-Ala across intestinal epithelial cells was investigated using Caco-2 cell monolayers, and their interaction with aminopeptidase N (APN) was analyzed. The results showed that the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) of Pyrr-Ala was (14.1 ± 2.26) × 10-7 cm·s-1 calculated by free pyrraline, while the Papp values of Pyrr-Ile were (32.4 ± 5.35) × 10-7 and (19.1 ± 1.46) × 10-7 cm·s-1 when they were, respectively, calculated according to their dipeptide-bound or free form. Both Pyrr-Ala and Pyrr-Ile were potential substrates of APN, and their hydrolysis by APN may make the intact transmembrane transport of Pyrr-Ala and Pyrr-Ile more difficult, especially for Pyrr-Ala. Besides, the occurrence of product inhibition in hydrolysis of Pyrr-Ile was possible. Pyrr-Ile and Pyrr-Ala were different in Papp values and transport forms, which suggested that the C-terminus may play an important role in their transport across the Caco-2 cell monolayers. In addition, the results highlight the intact transmembrane transport of dipeptide-bound pyrraline.
Keywords: Caco-2 cell monolayers; aminopeptidase N; dietary pyrraline; permeability; transmembrane transport.