Ex Vivo, In Vitro and In Vivo Bone Health Properties of Grana Padano Cheese

Grana Padano (GP) is an Italian hard cooked cheese characterized by a long ripening process and high protein and Ca contents. After in vitro static simulated gastrointestinal digestion, GP digest contained caseinophosphopeptides that were 6 to 24 amino acids in length, including tri-phosphorylated s...

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Main Authors: Cristina Martelli, Luisa Ottobrini, Anita Ferraretto, Paola Bendinelli, Stefano Cattaneo, Fabio Masotti, Milda Stuknytė, Margherita Dall’Asta, Angelo Del Sole, Ivano De Noni, Filippo Rossi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/2/273
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Summary:Grana Padano (GP) is an Italian hard cooked cheese characterized by a long ripening process and high protein and Ca contents. After in vitro static simulated gastrointestinal digestion, GP digest contained caseinophosphopeptides that were 6 to 24 amino acids in length, including tri-phosphorylated species incorporating the pSer-pSer-pSer-Glu-Glu cluster. Using rat ileum tissue, the digest was used to assess Ca absorption ex vivo, which showed significantly better results for the GP digest in comparison to the CaCO<sub>3</sub> aqueous solution. An in vitro intestinal model based on Caco-2/HT-29 cell co-culture was able to mimic Ca absorption from GP digest, with Ca-rich water as a control. The metabolite-containing medium was then used to treat osteoblast-like SaOS-2 cells. As a consequence, metabolized GP digest significantly increased the number of osteoblasts, whereas the metabolized water did not exert this effect. Finally, the mice were fed diets containing GP or CaCO<sub>3</sub> and pea isolate and the in vivo outcomes were assessed through fluorescent probe and computed tomography. Mice fed a diet containing GP showed a higher increase in bone remodeling and volume in comparison to those fed a control diet containing CaCO<sub>3</sub> and pea isolate. Overall, the ex vivo, in vitro and in vivo experiments highlighted the effectiveness of GP in improving Ca absorption, osteoblast proliferation and bone remodeling and volume.
ISSN:2304-8158