Glucose boosts protein oxidation/nitration during simulated gastric digestion of myofibrillar proteins by creating a severe pro-oxidative environment.

The severe pro-oxidative environment in the stomach promotes oxidation of dietary components. The pro-oxidant molecular mechanisms of reducing sugars on this environment are unknown. To investigate the mechanisms involved in protein oxidation and nitration during a simulated gastric digestion (porcine pepsin, 37 °C, 2 h) of meat proteins, these were exposed to several dietary reactive components namely myoglobin, glucose, glyoxal, myoglobin + glucose and myoglobin + glyoxal. Two versions of each experimental unit were prepared depending on the addition or absence of nitrite. Compared to control (only meat proteins), myoglobin + glucose showed the highest pro-oxidative and pro-nitrosative effect (p < 0.001), likely caused by an increase in ROS derived from the degradation of glucose during assay. Nitrite promoted the occurrence of protein nitration but decreased protein oxidation in myoglobin-added groups (p < 0.001) by, plausibly, stabilizing heme iron. These results indicate the relevant role of glyco-oxidation during digestion of red meat with other dietary components such as reducing sugars.