Formation of a Hydroxymethylfurfural–Cysteine Adduct and Its Absorption and Cytotoxicity in Caco‑2 Cells

Adducts of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)-amino acids are formed during food processing and digestion; the elimination capacity of in vitro intestinal digests of biscuits, instant noodles, and potato crisps for HMF is 652, 727, and 540 μg/g, respectively. However, the safety of these adducts is unknown. In this study, an HMF–cysteine adduct named 1-dicysteine­thioacetal-5-hydroxy­mehtyl­furfural (DCH), which was found to be produced in the gastrointestinal tract after HMF intake, was prepared to test its effect toward Caco-2 cells. Compared with HMF, the adduct displayed lower cytotoxicity against Caco-2 cells with an IC50 value of 31.26 mM versus 14.95 mM (HMF). The DCH did not induce cell apoptosis, whereas HMF significantly increased the apoptosis rate after incubation at concentrations of 16, 32, and 48 mM for 72 h. DCH showed an absorption rate considerably lower than that of HMF by Caco-2 cells. Lower absorption of DCH may result in lower toxicity compared with HMF against Caco-2 cells. Intracellular transformation of DCH has been observed.