Search

Highlights • Breast cancer has been classified among the major causes of death in women. • Pre and post-menopausal women are the major targets when it comes to breast cancer and osteoporosis. • This may not be unconnected to the fact that, there may be existent biochemical links between the two mayhems. • These might rally round between the cellular and molecular connectivity based on the actions and inactions of RANKL, estrogen and free radicals-induced oxidative stress. • The potentials of functional foods in preventing, managing and possibly treating breast cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis cannot be overemphasised. Abstract Breast cancer as a multifactorial disease has been classified among the major causes of morbidity and mortality in women across the world, with a higher prevalence among post-menopausal women. Osteoporosis, a condition characterized by altered bone mineralization is also commonly found among post-menopausal women. Consequently, post-menopausal women are at risk of morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may not be unconnected to the fact that, there may be existent biochemical links between the two mayhems, which might rally round between the cellular and molecular connectivity based on the actions and inactions of RANKL, estrogen, free radicals-induced oxidative stress and metabolic implications of age related obesity among others. Cells and tissues including breast and bone are more prone to oxidative stress with age, and oxidative stress could alter the activity of key proteins and pathways required for protection against breast cancer and osteoporosis. As a result, the potentials of antioxidant rich functional foods in preventing, managing and possibly treating breast cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis cannot be overemphasised. This review mainly uses ISI, SCOPUS and PubMed indexed journals and books containing various experimental reports vacillating from humans, animals and in vitro studies in relation to breast cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis, biochemical links and possible beneficial effects of functional foods. One distinct feature of the review is that it categorically intends to provide a critical appraisal on the said available experimental data within the variables of breast cancer and osteoporosis among females vis-à-vis the potentials of functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is one of a critical pathogenic factor in the progression of aging and chronic diseases such as cancer, myocardial inflammation and diabetes. In the present scenario, peptides with short half life and more biological specificities are gaining much attention as prodrugs. Thus, the present investigation carried out to screen potential antioxidative peptide, VLPVPQK to cope with the cellular oxidative damage. Our results showed that treatment of rat fibroblast cells with 0.2 mM H 2 O 2 for 6 h significantly declined different oxidative stress biomarkers such as SOD, CAT, GSH, and promoted LDH activity. In addition, ROS and TNF-α levels were also increased upon H 2 O 2 exposure for 6 h and thereby, it induced cell death. Amazingly, pretreatment of the peptide (VLPVPQK) significantly elevated cell survivability, by reversing all H 2 O 2 induced alterations in fibroblast cells. Therefore, our results indicated that, the peptide (VLPVPQK) acted as a potential cytoprotective agent, who restored redox balance and cell homeostasis in cultured fibroblast cells, even after H 2 O 2 exposure, suggesting that the peptide can be valuable as an effective remedy in treatment of oxidative stress related diseases and skin inflammation related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starvation conditions cause cell injury or ulcers from reactive oxygen species generation and, ultimately, lead to cell death or apoptosis. Milk has many bioactive peptides with cytoprotective potential. One such peptide is the buffalo milk β-casein derived antioxidative peptide, VLPVPQK. It was found to have cytoprotective action during oxidative stress. However, the protective role of the peptide in natural aging induced apoptosis has not been studied. In the present study, the anti-apoptotic effect of the peptide was analyzed by establishing an in vitro model of skin fibroblast cells with serum starved conditions similar to aging. Cell survivability and cytotoxicity were measured using MTT and LDH assays, respectively. Cell death rate was determined using propidium iodide staining. In addition, gene level expression of anti-apoptotic markers' such as Nrf2, Keap-1, Bcl-2, Bax and HO-1 were analyzed using quantitative real time-PCR. While nuclear transmigration of Nrf2 at the protein level was analyzed using western blots. The peptide treatment led to inhibition of cell death as observed using PI, DCFH-DA staining and improvement in cell survival through the activation of transcription factor, Nrf2. The activation of Nrf2 stimulated the expression of cytoprotective signals from HO-1. Moreover, the peptide augmented the cellular protection by inhibiting the expression of the Nrf2 inhibitor (Keap1), pro-apoptotic markers (Bax) and stimulating anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) gene expression. In addition, a pronounced reduction in the activity of the cell injury marker, LDH was observed. Hence, this study showed that the antioxidative peptide, VLPVPQK also showed an anti-apoptotic effect. Image 1 • VLPVPQK, bioactive peptide increases rat fibroblasts survival. • The peptide acts via Nrf2 pathway. • The peptide stimulates HO-1 and Bcl-2, but reduces the Bax and keap1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk is a potential nutraceutical with wide range of bioactive compounds that are antioxidative, antimicrobial, antithrombotic, immunomodulatory, opioid and antihypertensive. Various intervention studies with milk reflect its stupendous role in elevating bone mineral density. Milk and milk products have shown a preventive effect in bone loss during pre- and postmenopausal women. Since, milk is proved to have a vital role in bone health promotion, there is a need to identify bioactive compounds within it. Recently we have reported four novel peptides from milk casein for their osteoblast proliferation activity. Their role in differentiation and the signaling cascade evoked by them have not been studied. Thus, the present study has been designed to investigate the differentiation potential and signaling cascade of one of the novel peptides, that is, NAVPITPTL by analyzing osteoblast differentiation markers such as alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin and mineral deposition. All the experimentations suggested a significant role of this peptide in osteoblast differentiation. The inhibitor studies, immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting have proven that the peptide-induced differentiation through pAkt signaling cascade as pAkt was observed in nucleus. Moreover, the peptide was found to be bioaccessible up to 1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]