346
Anti-Cancer Activity
Cancer (malignant tumor) is an abnormal growth and proliferation of cells in the
body. The number of cancer cases is expected to rise from 14 million in 2012 to 22
million within the next two decades (WHO 2017). Therefore, to treat tumors, inhibition of deregulated cell multiplication is an important approach (Chi et al. 2015).
Currently, the most promising anticancer approach is chemoprevention which is
used to reduce the morbidity and mortality of cancer by decelerates the progression
of carcinogenesis (Pan et al. 2016; Sheih et al. 2010). However, chemotherapy is
costly and anticancer drugs have many unintended side effects which can cause
damage to normal cells (Sah et al. 2015). Therefore, discovery of new anticancer
agents from natural sources like food proteins can provide better alternatives for
cancer prevention and management.
Several studies have been focused on anticancer activity of protein hydrolysates.
Kim et al. (2000) isolated thermoase from soy protein hydrolysates, an anticancer
hydrophobic peptide. In vitro, some protein hydrolysates obtained from several fish
proteins exhibited a significant antiproliferative activity on human cancer cell lines
(Picot et al. 2006). In another study, Kannan et al. (2010) purified and isolated anticancer pentapeptide, Glu-Gln-Arg-Pro-Arg, from rice bran. The peptide was
reported to cause 84% inhibition to colon cancer cells (Caco-2, HCT-116) growth,
80% to breast cancer cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) growth and 84% to liver cancer
cells (HepG-2) growth at 600–700 μg/mL doses. Furthermore, administration of
chickpea albumin hydrolysates to mice significantly increased the tumor inhibition
rate and decreased tumor volume (Xue et al. 2012). Recently, Kim et al. (2012)
isolated a new and potent anticancer peptide (Ala-Phe-Asn-Ile-His-Asn-Arg-AsnLeu-Leu) from pepsin shellfish Mytilus coruscus protein hydrolysate, which was
reported to induce cell death on prostate, breast, and lung cancer cells but not on
normal liver cells.
Anti-Diabetic Activity
Diabetes mellitus (DM), characterized by a chronic glucose increase of blood level,
is a widespread metabolic disease affecting millions of individuals in the world. DM
is involved in several physiological processes, such as increasing utilization of the
glucose by the peripheral tissues and lowering hepatic glucose output and adipocyte
fat-accumulation (Zeng et al. 2016). Current synthetic antidiabetic drugs may result
in risks of hypoglycemia, weight gain, high background risk of pancreatitis and
gastrointestinal side effects while some patients may not tolerate them. For these
reasons, the search of new, safe, and natural specific antihyperglycemic agents as
alternative to synthetic ones is on the increase. In fact, various studies have been
focused on the investigation of the hypoglycemic effects of protein hydrolysates or
bioactive peptides from plant or animal sources (Yuan et al. 2008; Huang et al.
2014; Nasri et al. 2015).
F. Jhan et al.
Anti-Cancer Activity
Cancer (malignant tumor) is an abnormal growth and proliferation of cells in the
body. The number of cancer cases is expected to rise from 14 million in 2012 to 22
million within the next two decades (WHO 2017). Therefore, to treat tumors, inhibition of deregulated cell multiplication is an important approach (Chi et al. 2015).
Currently, the most promising anticancer approach is chemoprevention which is
used to reduce the morbidity and mortality of cancer by decelerates the progression
of carcinogenesis (Pan et al. 2016; Sheih et al. 2010). However, chemotherapy is
costly and anticancer drugs have many unintended side effects which can cause
damage to normal cells (Sah et al. 2015). Therefore, discovery of new anticancer
agents from natural sources like food proteins can provide better alternatives for
cancer prevention and management.
Several studies have been focused on anticancer activity of protein hydrolysates.
Kim et al. (2000) isolated thermoase from soy protein hydrolysates, an anticancer
hydrophobic peptide. In vitro, some protein hydrolysates obtained from several fish
proteins exhibited a significant antiproliferative activity on human cancer cell lines
(Picot et al. 2006). In another study, Kannan et al. (2010) purified and isolated anticancer pentapeptide, Glu-Gln-Arg-Pro-Arg, from rice bran. The peptide was
reported to cause 84% inhibition to colon cancer cells (Caco-2, HCT-116) growth,
80% to breast cancer cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) growth and 84% to liver cancer
cells (HepG-2) growth at 600–700 μg/mL doses. Furthermore, administration of
chickpea albumin hydrolysates to mice significantly increased the tumor inhibition
rate and decreased tumor volume (Xue et al. 2012). Recently, Kim et al. (2012)
isolated a new and potent anticancer peptide (Ala-Phe-Asn-Ile-His-Asn-Arg-AsnLeu-Leu) from pepsin shellfish Mytilus coruscus protein hydrolysate, which was
reported to induce cell death on prostate, breast, and lung cancer cells but not on
normal liver cells.
Anti-Diabetic Activity
Diabetes mellitus (DM), characterized by a chronic glucose increase of blood level,
is a widespread metabolic disease affecting millions of individuals in the world. DM
is involved in several physiological processes, such as increasing utilization of the
glucose by the peripheral tissues and lowering hepatic glucose output and adipocyte
fat-accumulation (Zeng et al. 2016). Current synthetic antidiabetic drugs may result
in risks of hypoglycemia, weight gain, high background risk of pancreatitis and
gastrointestinal side effects while some patients may not tolerate them. For these
reasons, the search of new, safe, and natural specific antihyperglycemic agents as
alternative to synthetic ones is on the increase. In fact, various studies have been
focused on the investigation of the hypoglycemic effects of protein hydrolysates or
bioactive peptides from plant or animal sources (Yuan et al. 2008; Huang et al.
2014; Nasri et al. 2015).
F. Jhan et al.