title: Antimutagenic activity of casein against MNNG in the E. coli DNA repair host-mediated assay.
abstract: The effect of caseinate and soy protein in the diet on the mutagenicity induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) was assessed in-vivo and ex-vivo in the DNA-repair host-mediated assay and liquid suspension assay, respectively. Of the two proteins only casein showed a strong antimutagenic activity over the whole digestive tract, except in the stomach. It is suggested that the molecular structure of a protein determines its protective effect against mutagens: casein lacks secondary and tertiary structure so that amino acids are more readily available for interaction with the mutagen than with the amino acids in soy protein which is a globular protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van Boekel
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Goeptar
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Alink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D002364:Caseins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects; D008769:Methylnitronitrosoguanidine; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens; D030262:Soybean Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D002364:Caseins; D009153:Mutagens; D030262:Soybean Proteins; D008769:Methylnitronitrosoguanidine