Lunasin is a unique 43-amino acid peptide which has shown a chemopreventive in mammalian cells and in a skin cancer mouse model. In search for new sources of lunasin and the role of cereals in cancer prevention, we report here the properties of lunasin purified from millet. Stability of millet lunasin was measured by in vitro digestibility assay using pepsin and pancreatin. Inhibition of HAT (histone acetyltransferase) and nuclear localization in mammalian cells were used to measure lunasin bioactivity as the cancer chemopreventive agent. Lunasin present in millet crude protein was stable to pepsin and pancreatin in in vitro digestion and inhibited the activities of HATs. When added exogenously, lunasin purified from millet internalized in the nuclei of mouse fibroblast cells. On the base of this result, we conclude that lunasin in millet is bioactive and consumption of millet may play an important role on cancer prevention in millet-consuming populations.
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