Title:Chemopreventive Properties of Peptide Lunasin: A Review
Volume: 20
Issue: 4
Author(s): B. Hernandez-Ledesma, C. -C. Hsieh and B. O. de Lumen
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Lunasin, seed peptide, cancer, chemoprevention, phytochemical, anti-carcinogenic activity, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties, chemopreventive effects, molecular mechanism
Abstract: Cancer has become one the most common causes of death in developed countries and has been defined as the
medical challenge of our times. Accumulating evidence support the notion that prevention can be a major component of
cancer control. Chemoprevention, a relatively new and promising strategy to prevent cancer, is defined as the use of natural
and/or synthetic substances to block, reverse, or retard the process of carcinogenesis. Plant-based foods, containing
significant amounts of bioactive phytochemicals, may provide desiderable health benefits beyond basic nutrition to reduce
the process of cancer. In the last few years, proteins and peptides have become one group of nutraceuticals that show potential
results in preventing the different stages of cancer including initiation, promotion, and progression. Lunasin is a 43-
amino acid peptide identified in soybean and other plants whose anti-carcinogenic activity has been demonstrated both in
in vitro and in vivo assays. Moreover, this peptide has been found to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
that could contribute to its chemopreventive effects. Lunasin’s bioactivity and its molecular mechanism(s) of actions are
summarized in this review.
