Immunomodulatory and anticancer protein hydrolysates (peptides) from food proteins: A review

• Published in: Food chemistry 2018-04, Vol.245, p.205-222
• Main Authors: Chalamaiah, Meram, Yu, Wenlin, Wu, Jianping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticancer peptides; Food derived bioactive peptides; Food protein hydrolysates; Immunomodulatory peptides; Mechanisms of action
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.10.087

•Immunomodulatory and anti-cancer activities of food protein hydrolysates (FPHs) were reviewed.•Various food derived peptides possess immunomodulatory and anti-cancer activities.•In vitro hydrolysis of food proteins using proteolytic enzymes is commonly employed process.•Composition, sequence, length, and hydrophobicity of the peptides are vital for the activities.•More research is needed on safety and bioavailability of these food derived bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides are oligopeptides that consist of 2–20 amino acids that can exert beneficial effects on human health in addition to basic nutritional effects. Food derived protein hydrolysates or peptides with immunomodulatory and anticancer activities have been reported from a variety of food protein sources such as milk, egg, fish, rice, soybean, pea, chlorella, spirulina, oyster and mussel. In vitro hydrolysis of food proteins using commercial proteolytic enzymes is the most commonly employed process for the production of immunomodulatory and anticancer food protein hydrolysates. The immunomodulatory and anticancer activities of food derived protein hydrolysates or peptides are related to the amino acid composition, sequence and length. Most immunomodulatory and anticancer food protein hydrolysates or peptides were tested using cell culture and animal models, while a few involved clinical trials. This review provides a comprehensive overview of immunomodulatory and anticancer food derived protein hydrolysates or peptides, their production and mechanisms of action.