Absence of genotoxic effects of high dietary levels of milk proteins associated or not with free or acylated lutein: An in vivo study using rats

Author(s)

Tavares, Guilherme M. ; Sanchez, Caroline Andolfato ; Rasera, Mariana L. ; dos Santos, Rosemar Sant'Anna ; Baptistella, Mariane Minussi ; Antunes, Lusania Maria Greggi

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FOOD BIOSCIENCE; v. 64, p. 8-pg., 2025-01-29.

Abstract

Although diets with high dietary content of milk proteins are extensively used in the sports nutrition segment, there is evidence that they could induce damage to colonocyte DNA in rats. In this study, we have evaluated whether genotoxic effects are induced in the bone marrow or peripheral blood of Wistar rats fed with diets containing high dietary content of milk proteins (casein or whey protein isolate or both), and whether diets with high content of proteins submitted to dry heating (whey protein isolate) impact genotoxicity. We have also assessed the same diets supplemented with lutein, in its free or acylated form. Dry heating the whey protein-rich powder induced the Maillard reaction (similar to 300% increase in the browning index) and formation of non-disulfide-linked protein aggregates. Despite the different compositions of the diets investigated herein, we found that they were not genotoxic to Wistar rat bone marrow or peripheral blood under the tested conditions. Supplementing the diets with lutein in its free or acylated form did not affect the response. Therefore, diets with high dietary content of milk proteins are safe from a genotoxic standpoint, but their effects on human health must be further investigated. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/15143-8 - Distribution of carotenoids in complex protein matrices: an approach by heat maps
• Grantee: Mariana Lamy Rasera
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 18/23752-1 - Multi0user equipment approved in grant 2013/07914-8: high-speed liquid chromatography coupled to arrangement of diodes, fluorescence and masses
• Grantee: Adriana Zerlotti Mercadante
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 17/09214-4 - How do structural changes of dairy proteins affect the functionality of bioactive compounds in complex food matrices?
• Grantee: Guilherme Miranda Tavares
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/03822-5 - Multi-user equipment approved in grant 2017/09214-4: preparative chromatography system - Akta pure (Ge healthcare)
• Grantee: Guilherme Miranda Tavares
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program