| There is
increasing evidence that some milk components may have a protective effect against
cancer. Most of the evidence to date is based on invitro cells culture studies,
invivo animal studies together with a few epidemiological investigations.
Based on cellular and animal models, protection has been suggested
for the following cancers by various whey components
| Cancer |
WPC |
LF/LP |
CLA |
BSA |
Peptides |
| Colon |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
| Breast |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
+ |
| Skin |
|
+ |
|
|
|
| Prostate |
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
| Gastric |
|
|
+ |
|
|
WPC= whey protein concentrate; LF/LP = lactoferrin
and lactoperoxidase; CLA = conjugated linoleic acid; BSA= bovine
serum albumin.
Other possible protectants are:
lColon
Cancer
–
Sphingolipids
–
Butyric acid
–
Calcium
glyco macropeptide
–
lBreast
Cancer
–
Alpha-lactalbumin
–
Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) protein
Hakkak et al. (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 9:113-117 2000)
reported that bovine whey proteins were more effectinve than soy protein against against
chemically induce mammary tumors in Sprague Dawley rats.
MILK LIPIDS
Milk lipids may have a role to play in respect to protection against some cancers based
on work with cell cultures and with animal models. Components with
suggested anti-cancer activity include:
-conjugated linoleic acid (References)
-sphingolipids (References)
-butyric acid (References)
At the 1999 ADSA annual meeting Dr. A. H. Merrill presented a paper entitled
"Structural and functional characteristics of dairy sphingolipids as inhibitors of
colon carcinogensis" in which he outlined the evidence that catabolic products of
sphingolipid metabolism are effective at the levels found in milk as potential colon
cancer inhibitors. Vesper-H; Schmelz-EM;
Nikolova-Karakashian-MN; Dillehay-DL; Lynch-DV; Merrill-AH Jr 1999
Sphingolipids in food and the emerging importance of
sphingolipids to nutrition. Journal-of-Nutrition; 129 (7) 1239-1250
Schmelz-EM; Merrill-AH Jr 1998
Ceramides and ceramide metabolites in cell regulation: evidence for
dietary sphingolipids as inhibitors of colon carcinogenesis.
Nutrition-; 14 (9) 717-719
Lactic acid bacteria, also, have been implicated as having anticancer activity.
Parodi 1999 (Australian J. Dairy Tech. 54(2):103-121) have reviewed the
potential role of lactic acid bacteria in prevention of cancer, including review of
epidemiological studies.
(Recent References related to cultured
products and cancer)
Yogurt consumption has been associated with a reduced incidence of colon cancer
in some population groups, which was associated with peptides formed during fermentation.
When the yogurt fraction was incubated with IEC-6 or Caco-2 cells [mammalian intestinal
cell lines], cell division was decreased compared with control treatments, as determined
by thymidine incorporation. In addition, the effect of several milk proteins was also
evaluated. Alpha-Lactalbumin inhibited the cell division for both cell lines, but
beta-casein did not. [Ganjam-LS; Thornton-WH Jr; Marshall-RT; MacDonald-RS (1997)
Journal-of-Dairy-Science; 80 (10) 2325-2329]
Probiotics may have a wide range of biological activities.
|
