Intraluminal immunoreactive caseinomacropeptide after milk protein ingestion in humans

Caseinomacropeptide (CMP)is a 64 amino acids peptide which is the first product released after kappa-casein hydrolysis. The present work investigates the kinetics delivery of CMP in human jejunal lumen during the digestion of intrinsically [15N]-labelled casein, whey protein, yoghurt and pea flour meal. Effluents were collected through a nasointestinal tube and analysed for the enrichment in [15N] to evaluate the dietary nitrogen fraction. Detection and quantification of CMP was performed by an inhibition Elisa procedure. No trace of CMP was detected in the ileum of volunteers after the ingestion of the casein meal. The results showed that CMP appears in the jejunal effluents within the first 20 min after meal ingestion at a level varying from meal to meal. During digestion of whey protein, CMP appeared rapidly as a single peak and in high amounts, whereas it is discharged slowly in moderate proportions with the casein meal. These results demonstrate that CMP is emptied from the stomach in significant amounts during milk products digestion and support the hypothesis that food-born peptides could exert a physiological function. Moreover, in the present study a relation could be assumed between the amount of CMP in the meal and the stimulation of luminal endogenous nitrogen secretion. However, the specific physiological activity of CMP in humans, particularly on the digestion process, requires further studies.