Laser-primed wheat as a source of phenolic bioactive compounds with antioxidant and cytoprotective potential

Öz

Background: Wheat is a major dietary staple and an important source of phenolic bioactive compounds with antioxidant and cytoprotective properties. However, environmental stress and conventional farming methods can limit the accumulation of these beneficial compounds and affect their functional quality. A promising strategy to enhance the natural synthesis of bioactive compounds is still under investigation. The functional relevance of laser-induced phenolic enrichment in human cell systems remains largely unexplored.

Objective: To determine the effect of CO₂ laser seed priming on wheat phenolic content and functional (antioxidant and cytoprotective) activity.

Methods: This study assessed the effects of continuous-wave CO₂ laser seed priming in the wheat cultivar “Red Doly” at three developmental stages: grain, germination, and green sprouts. Total free and bound phenolics, as well as phenolic profiles, were determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Antioxidant capacity was evaluated through radical-scavenging assays. Cytoprotective activity was examined in Jurkat T lymphocytes under oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Results: Laser priming enhanced germination and early growth (5–25% increase vs. control). Total free phenolic content increased significantly, particularly in green sprouts (p < 0.01). The antioxidant capacity increased at all developmental stages and correlated strongly with phenolic content (r = 0.81, p = 0.0004). Caffeic acid was most abundant in the free fractions, while ferulic acid dominated in the bound fractions. Phenolic extracts from laser-treated sprouts significantly improoved Jurkat cell viability and reduced oxidative cytotoxicity (p < 0.001), with more pronounced effects observed for free-phenolic–enriched fractions. 

Conclusions: This study establishes a functional connection between laser-induced metabolic activation and the protection of human cells by integrating compound identification, biomarker validation, and preclinical cellular efficacy testing (Steps 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 of the Functional Food Development Model). CO₂ laser priming offers a scalable, chemical-free approach to producing phenolic-enriched functional wheat ingredients. Notably, this research is one of the first to demonstrate that phenolic enrichment induced by CO₂ laser priming results in measurable cytoprotective effects in a human cell-based model.

Novelty: This study is one of the first to establish a connection between CO₂ laser priming-induced phenolic enrichment in wheat and a functional biological outcome. It demonstrates significant cytoprotection of human Jurkat T lymphocytes under oxidative stress. The research also includes detailed phenolic profiling using HPLC and validation of antioxidant biomarkers.

Keywords: CO₂ laser seed priming; Wheat phenolics; Antioxidant capacity; Cytoprotective activity; Functional foods; Wheat sprouts; Oxidative stress