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Lunasin: a cancer-preventive soy peptide

Ben O de Lumen1

  • 1Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, 231 Morgan Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3104, USA. nitto@nature.berkeley.edu

Nutrition Reviews
|February 26, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Lunasin, a soy-derived peptide, shows cancer-preventive effects by selectively killing transformed cells through an epigenetic mechanism. This novel peptide is bioavailable and offers a promising avenue for dietary cancer prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Lunasin is a unique, cancer-preventive peptide identified in soy and barley.
  • It has demonstrated efficacy against chemical carcinogens and oncogenes in preclinical models.
  • Lunasin is present in various soy germplasm and commercial soy protein products.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the bioavailability and cellular mechanisms of lunasin.
  • To explore lunasin's potential as a dietary agent for cancer prevention.
  • To elucidate the epigenetic mechanism underlying lunasin's cancer-preventive properties.

Main Methods:

  • Bioavailability studies in mice and rats following oral ingestion.
  • Cellular uptake and localization experiments in mammalian cells.
  • Analysis of histone acetylation inhibition and effects on cell lines.

Main Results:

  • Lunasin is orally bioavailable in rodents.
  • It rapidly internalizes into mammalian cells and localizes in the nucleus.
  • Lunasin inhibits core histone acetylation without affecting normal or cancer cell growth.
  • An epigenetic mechanism involving binding to deacetylated histones in transformed cells is proposed.

Conclusions:

  • Lunasin exhibits cancer-preventive properties through a selective epigenetic mechanism.
  • Its bioavailability supports its potential for dietary administration.
  • Lunasin represents a promising candidate for novel cancer prevention strategies.

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