Anticariogenic casein phosphopeptides

Abstract

Proteins and peptides containing clusters of phosphoseryl residues have been shown to stabilize amorphous calcium phosphate in solution, and have been implicated in the regulation of biomineralisation processes. Casein phosphopeptides (CPP) containing the cluster sequence -Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Glu-Glu- have been demonstrated to significantly reduce the level of dental caries (tooth decay) in animal and human experiments and also to repair early stages of decay. Through their multiple phosphoseryl residues the peptides bind to forming nanoclusters of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) in metastable solution, preventing their growth to the critical size required for nucleation and phase transfo..