Anticariogenicity of Calcium Phosphate Complexes of Tryptic Casein Phosphopeptides in the Rat

Abstract

Casein phosphopeptides (CPP) stabilize calcium phosphate through the formation of casein-phosphopeptide amorphous calcium-phosphate complexes (CPP-CP). The ability of CPP-CP to reduce caries activity was investigated by use of specific-pathogen-free rats inoculated with Streptococcus sobrinus. The animals consumed a defined cariogenic diet free of dairy products. Solutions (100 pL) of the CPP-CP (0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0% w/v) were applied to the animals' molar teeth twice daily. Other groups of animals received solutions containing 500 ppm F, the non-phosphorylated peptides of a casein tryptic digest (0.5% w/v), or the calcium-phosphate complex of a synthetic octapeptide, Ac-Glu-Ser(P)-Ile-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Glu-Glu-NHMe, corresponding to the common sequence in the CPP. The CPP-CP significantly reduced caries activity in a dose-response fashion, with 1.0% CPP-CP producing 55% and 46% reductions in smooth surface and fissure caries activity, respectively, being similar to that of 500 ppm F. The anticariogenic effects of CPP-CP and fluoride were additive, since animals receiving 0.5% CPP-CP plus 500 ppm F had significantly lower caries activity than those animals receiving either CPP-CP or fluoride alone. The tryptic digest of casein with the phosphopeptides selectively removed showed no anticariogenic activity. The synthetic octapeptide-calcium phosphate complex significantly reduced caries activity, confirming that this calcium-phosphate-stabilizing portion of the casein phospho-peptides is associated with anticariogenicity. The CPP-CP did not significantly affect the level of S. sobrinus in fissure plaque. The proposed mechanism of anticariogenicity for CPP-CP complexes is that they substantially increase the level of calcium phosphate in plaque, depressing enamel demineralization and enhancing remineralization.