A novel method for preparation of HAMLET-like protein complexes

Milk-Derived Proteins and Peptides in Head and Neck Carcinoma Treatment

Research investigating milk-derived proteins has brought to light the potential for their use as novel anticancer agents. This paper aims to systematically review studies examining the effectiveness of milk-derived proteins in the treatment of head and neck cancer. A systematic literature search of Medline, Evidence-Based Medicine, and Web of Science databases including papers published from all dates was completed. Inter-rater reliability was high during the title, abstract, and full-text screening phases. Inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, and data extraction were based on the PICOS tool and research questions. Reporting followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis criteria. Eligible in vitro and in vivo studies (n = 8/658) evaluated lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and its complexes, such as HAMLET, BAMLET and lactalbumin-oleic acid complexes, as well as lactoperoxidase, whey, and casein. Their effectiveness in the treatment of head and neck cancer cells lines found that these compounds can inhibit tumour growth modulate cancer gene expression, and have cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. However, the exact mechanisms by which these effects are achieved are not well understood. Systematically designed, large, optimally controlled, collaborative studies, both in vitro and in vivo, will be required to gain a better understanding of their potential role in the treatment of head and neck cancer.

A new variant of the human α-lactalbumin-oleic acid complex as an anticancer agent for chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder of hematopoietic stem cells. Although there have been advancements in treatment, there is still a need to develop a biotherapeutic agent. A new variant of the human alpha-lactalbumin-oleic acid (HALOA) complex has been synthesized, which showed similarities with SNARE. The native α-LA was treated with EDTA to remove Ca²⁺ ions confirmed by ICP-OES and Arsenazo III to unfold and attain apo structure. The apo LA was mixed with OA in a specific ratio, leading to HALOA complex formation. The conformational state from native to complex was elucidated by circular dichroism (far; 190–260 nm and near; 260–340 nm UV-CD), which confirmed that the complex consists of a majority of turns and β-sheet structure. SDS-PAGE result showed the masking effect of OA on apo α-LA. In the lane of the complex, there was no band detected. However, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) dye has shown maximum fluorescence intensity with the complex because of the availability of hydrophobic patches, which was further validated by NMR spectroscopy indicating the masking effect of OA on the apo α-LA. The SNARE behavior of the complex (500 nm) has been confirmed by TEM. This new structural variant complex shows anti-tumor activity on chronic myeloid leukemia by targeting the IL-8, survivin, and induces apoptosis through DNA fragmentation, but not against normal cells. Overall, the formulated complex shows that SNARE-like behavior can be used as a promising anti-tumor agent with lower toxicity and maximum bioavailability.

Using BAMLET complex in a functional spreadable cheese elaborated with bovine colostrum

BAMLET is a bioactive complex formed by the interaction between α-Lactoalbumin (α-LA) and oleic acid which exhibits cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. BAMLET is selectively cytotoxic to malignant cells while sparing the healthy ones. There are, however, no reports about its application in a food matrix. The objective of this work was to synthetize the BAMLET complex from oleic acid and bovine colostrum from the second and third milkings which naturally contain α-LA to prepare two functional spreadable cheeses. The complex was successfully formed and retained in the cheeses as verified through SDS-PAGE applied to the whey obtained. The spreadable cheese from the second milking had a higher protein content (13.56 ± 0.02%) and a higher yield (40%) than the product obtained from the third milking. Even though the cheeses did not show any significant differences (p > 0.05) in the inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 1, their inhibitory activities were good, as a 0.5 g portion of the cheese from the second milking was sufficient to inhibit 57.52 ± 9.17%, while the cheese from the third milking inhibited 51.48 ± 1.07% of the enzyme. The sensory analysis showed a good acceptance for both spreadable cheeses.

Structures and mechanisms of formation of liprotides

Many proteins form complexes called liprotides with oleic acid and other cis-fatty acids under conditions where the protein is partially unfolded. The complexes vary in structure depending on the ratio of protein and lipid, but the most common structural organization is the core-shell structure, in which a layer of dynamic, partially unfolded and extended proteins surrounds a micelle-like fatty acid core. This structure, first reported for α-lactalbumin together with OA, resembles complexes formed between proteins and anionic surfactants like SDS. Liprotides first rose to fame through their anti-carcinogenic properties which still remains promising for topical applications though not yet implemented in the clinic. In addition, liprotides show potential in drug delivery thanks to the ability of the micelle core to solubilize and stabilize hydrophobic compounds, though applications are challenged by their sensitivity to acidic pH and dynamic exchange of lipids which makes them easy prey for serum "hoovers" such as albumin. However, liprotides are also of fundamental interest as a generic "protein complex structure", demonstrating the many and varied structural consequences of protein-lipid interactions. Here we provide an overview of the different types of liprotide complexes, ranging from quasi-native complexes via core-shell structures to multi-layer structures, and discuss the many conditions under which they form. Given the many variable types of complexes that can form, rigorous biophysical analysis (stoichiometry, shape and structure of the complexes) remains crucial for a complete understanding of the mechanisms of action of this fascinating group of protein-lipid complexes both in vitro and in vivo.

Gold/alpha-lactalbumin nanoprobes for the imaging and treatment of breast cancer

Theranostic agents should ideally be renally cleared and biodegradable. Here, we report the synthesis, characterization and theranostic applications of fluorescent ultrasmall gold quantum clusters that are stabilized by the milk metalloprotein alpha-lactalbumin. We synthesized three types of these nanoprobes that together display fluorescence across the visible and near-infrared spectra when excited at a single wavelength through optical colour coding. In live tumour-bearing mice, the near-infrared nanoprobe generates contrast for fluorescence, X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and exhibits long circulation times, low accumulation in the reticuloendothelial system, sustained tumour retention, insignificant toxicity and renal clearance. An intravenously administrated near-infrared nanoprobe with a large Stokes shift facilitated the detection and image-guided resection of breast tumours in vivo using a smartphone with modified optics. Moreover, the partially unfolded structure of alpha-lactalbumin in the nanoprobe helps with the formation of an anti-cancer lipoprotein complex with oleic acid that triggers the inhibition of the MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways, immunogenic cell death and the recruitment of infiltrating macrophages. The biodegradability and safety profile of the nanoprobes make them suitable for the systemic detection and localized treatment of cancer.

Protein-lipid complexes: molecular structure, current scenarios and mechanisms of cytotoxicity

Some natural proteins can be complexed with oleic acid (OA) to form an active protein-lipid formulation that can induce tumor-selective apoptosis. The first explored protein was human milk α-lactalbumin (α-LA), called HAMLET when composed with OA in antitumor form. Several groups have prepared active protein-lipid complexes using a variety of approaches, all of which depend on target protein destabilization or direct OA-protein incubation to alter pH to acid or alkaline condition. In addition to performing vital roles in inflammatory processes and immune responses, fatty acids can disturb different metabolic pathways and cellular signals. Therefore, the tumoricidal action of these complexes is related to OA rather than the protein that keeps OA in solution and acts as a vehicle for transferring OA molecules to tumor cells. However, other studies have suggested that the antitumor efficacy of these complexes was exerted by both protein and OA together. The potential is not limited to the anti-tumor activity of protein-lipid complexes but extends to other functions such as bactericidal activity. The protein shell enhances the solubility and stability of the bound fatty acid. These protein-lipid complexes are promising candidates for fighting various cancer types and managing bacterial and viral infections.

Effect of Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions on human serum albumin interaction with plasma unsaturated fatty acids

Human serum albumin (HSA) serves as a depot and carrier of multiple unrelated ligands including several participants of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as amyloid β peptide (Aβ), Zn²⁺/Cu²⁺ ions, docosahexaenoic (DHA), linoleic (LA), and oleic (OA) acids. To explore the interplay between HSA interaction with Zn²⁺/Cu²⁺ and the plasma unsaturated fatty acids (DHA, LA, OA, and arachidonic acid (ArA)), we have studied the metal dependence of the fatty acid (FA) binding capacity of HSA (n_max) and structural consequences of the HSA-FA interactions. HSA loading with Zn²⁺ decreases n_max value by 0.3-1.5, while its saturation with Cu²⁺ causes the FA-dependent n_max changes by up to 0.9. The Cu²⁺-induced decline in n_max value for DHA is due to conformational rearrangements in HSA molecule. In other cases, the changes in n_max are attributed to steric hindarance/facilitation of the HSA-FA interaction because of the protein multimerization/monomerization, as confirmed by chemical crosslinking. The surface hydrophobicity of HSA is Cu²⁺-, Zn²⁺-, and FA-dependent and decreases upon the FA binding, according to bis-ANS fluorescence data. Overall, Zn²⁺ or Cu²⁺ binding selectively affect HSA interaction with the FAs studied, in part due to changes in quaternary structure of the protein.

Temperature, pH, and Molecular Packing Effects on the Penetration of Oleic Acid Monolayer by α-Lactalbumin

Recently, we reported on the interfacial behavior of mixed oleic acid (OA)-α-lactalbumin monolayer and its relevance in the formation of tumoricidal HAMLET (human α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells)-like complex. This complex is probably formed in the gastrointestinal tract, but it has not been proved so far. The molecular base and the underlying physicochemical forces leading to such complexation remain to be known as well. There are also several other issues related with the complex stoichiometry that need to be fully explained. This study provides insight into the mechanism of temperature, pH, and physical state of monolayer-dependent binding of OA by the milk protein- apo-α-lactalbumin. Using the Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett approaches, we investigated the interactions between the OA monolayer and the apo-bovine α-lactalbumin (BLA III) at different pH, temperatures, and molecular packing. We found that the most favorable conditions for the formation of mixed OA-BLA III film are relevant to the gastric environment. The stabilization of OA-BLA III at the interface is associated with the conformational changes of protein in the presence of fatty acids induced by low pH and high temperature in the expanded monolayer. Our approach helps to understand the molecular mechanism of HAMLET/bovine α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells formation in vivo.

The binding of monomeric amyloid β peptide to serum albumin is affected by major plasma unsaturated fatty acids

Human serum albumin (HSA) serves as a natural depot of amyloid β peptide (Aβ). Improvement of Aβ binding to HSA should impede Alzheimer's disease (AD). We developed a method for quantitation of the interaction between monomeric Aβ40/42 and HSA using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. The dissociation constant of HSA complex with recombinant Aβ40/42 is 0.2-0.3 μM. Flemish variant of Aβ40 has 2.5-10-fold higher affinity to HSA. The parameters of the HSA-Aβ interaction are selectively sensitive to HSA binding of major plasma unsaturated fatty acids and Cu²⁺. Linoleic and arachidonic acids promote the HSA-Aβ42 interaction. The developed methodology for quantitation of HSA-Aβ interaction may serve as a tool for search of compounds favoring HSA-Aβ interaction, thereby preventing AD progression.

BAMLET kills chemotherapy-resistant mesothelioma cells, holding oleic acid in an activated cytotoxic state

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis. Here we have investigated in vitro efficacy of BAMLET and BLAGLET complexes (anti-cancer complexes consisting of oleic acid and bovine α-lactalbumin or β-lactoglobulin respectively) in killing mesothelioma cells, determined BAMLET and BLAGLET structures, and investigated possible biological mechanisms. We performed cell viability assays on 16 mesothelioma cell lines. BAMLET and BLAGLET having increasing oleic acid content inhibited human and rat mesothelioma cell line proliferation at decreasing doses. Most of the non-cancer primary human fibroblasts were more resistant to BAMLET than were human mesothelioma cells. BAMLET showed similar cytotoxicity to cisplatin-resistant, pemetrexed-resistant, vinorelbine-resistant, and parental rat mesothelioma cells, indicating the BAMLET anti-cancer mechanism may be different to drugs currently used to treat mesothelioma. Cisplatin, pemetrexed, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and BAMLET, did not demonstrate a therapeutic window for mesothelioma compared with immortalised non-cancer mesothelial cells. We demonstrated by quantitative PCR that ATP synthase is downregulated in mesothelioma cells in response to regular dosing with BAMLET. We sought structural insight for BAMLET and BLAGLET activity by performing small angle X-ray scattering, circular dichroism, and scanning electron microscopy. Our results indicate the structural mechanism by which BAMLET and BLAGLET achieve increased cytotoxicity by holding increasing amounts of oleic acid in an active cytotoxic state encapsulated in increasingly unfolded protein. Our structural studies revealed similarity in the molecular structure of the protein components of these two complexes and in their encapsulation of the fatty acid, and differences in the microscopic structure and structural stability. BAMLET forms rounded aggregates and BLAGLET forms long fibre-like aggregates whose aggregation is more stable than that of BAMLET due to intermolecular disulphide bonds. The results reported here indicate that BAMLET and BLAGLET may be effective second-line treatment options for mesothelioma.

Formation mechanism of α-lactalabumin/oleic acid complex characterized by 2D correlation analysis

Partially unfolded α-lactalbumin (ALA) forms a complex with oleic acid (OA) that exhibits cytotoxic activity. In this study, for the first time, the pH-induced formation mechanism for ALA/OA complexes with two different molar ratios was investigated at the molecular level. For a deeper understanding of the formation mechanism of the two different ALA/OA complexes with decreasing pH, principal component analysis (PCA) and two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy were used to examine the pH-dependent IR spectra of ALA/OA complexes. By tracking the secondary structural variations in the ALA/OA complexes with decreasing pH, we successfully elucidated the formation mechanism of the ALA/OA complexes at the molecular level. The results showed that the secondary structures of theses complexes exhibited the greatest change between pH4 and pH3.5 and that the components that mainly contributed to the pH-induced transition from the N-state to the A-state were dissimilar in the two different ALA/OA complexes.

Augmenting the cytotoxicity of oleic acid-protein complexes: Potential of target-specific antibodies

HAMLET (Human Alpha-Lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumor cells), a complex of oleic acid (OA) with partially unfolded human α-lactalbumin, shows remarkable toxicity towards a spectrum of tumor cells as well as few differentiated cells including mammalian erythrocytes. Human erythrocytes, for this reason, have been used as convenient model cells to study toxic properties of the OA complexes. The toxicity of HAMLET-like complexes, prepared using immunoglobulin gamma (IgG) isolated from the sera of rabbits immunized with human erythrocytes as well as those unimmunized, towards the red cells was investigated. The OA complex of the IgG prepared by the heat-treatment procedure comprised of protein monomers and oligomers with bound OA. The IgG in the complexes retained most secondary but only partial tertiary structure and complex formation with OA did not abolish the ability of anti-erythrocyte IgG to bind to the erythrocytes. Anti-erythrocyte IgG-OA complexes were remarkably more hemolytic than those prepared using non-specific IgG, while complexes prepared using affinity purified anti-erythrocyte IgG were most effective in hemolyzing the cells. The work suggests that antibodies that exhibit affinity towards target cells may be useful in the preparation of selective and highly toxic OA complexes for the cells.

Modulation of linoleic acid-binding properties of human serum albumin by divalent metal cations

Human serum albumin (HSA) is an abundant multiligand carrier protein, linked to progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Blood HSA serves as a depot of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide. Aβ peptide-buffering properties of HSA depend on interaction with its ligands. Some of the ligands, namely, linoleic acid (LA), zinc and copper ions are involved into AD progression. To clarify the interplay between LA and metal ion binding to HSA, the dependence of LA binding to HSA on Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ levels and structural consequences of these interactions have been explored. Seven LA molecules are bound per HSA molecule in the absence of the metal ions. Zn²⁺ binding to HSA causes a loss of one bound LA molecule, while the other metals studied exert an opposite effect (1-2 extra LA molecules are bound). In most cases, the observed effects are not related to the metal-induced changes in HSA quaternary structure. However, the Zn²⁺-induced decline in LA capacity of HSA could be due to accumulation of multimeric HSA forms. Opposite to Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-binding, Zn²⁺ or Cu²⁺ association with HSA induces marked changes in its hydrophobic surface. Overall, the divalent metal ions modulate LA capacity and affinity of HSA to a different extent. LA- and Ca²⁺-binding to HSA synergistically support each other. Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ induce more pronounced changes in hydrophobic surface and quaternary structure of HSA and its LA capacity. A misbalanced metabolism of these ions in AD could modify interactions of HSA with LA, other fatty acids and hydrophobic substances, associated with AD.

Protein-dependent Membrane Interaction of A Partially Disordered Protein Complex with Oleic Acid: Implications for Cancer Lipidomics

Bovine α-lactalbumin (BLA) forms cytotoxic complexes with oleic acid (OA) that perturbs tumor cell membranes, but molecular determinants of these membrane-interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we aim to obtain molecular insights into the interaction of BLA/BLA-OA complex with model membranes. We characterized the folding state of BLA-OA complex using tryptophan fluorescence and resolved residue-specific interactions of BLA with OA using molecular dynamics simulation. We integrated membrane-binding data using a voltage-sensitive probe and molecular dynamics (MD) to demonstrate the preferential interaction of the BLA-OA complex with negatively charged membranes. We identified amino acid residues of BLA and BLA-OA complex as determinants of these membrane interactions using MD, functionally corroborated by uptake of the corresponding α-LA peptides across tumor cell membranes. The results suggest that the α-LA component of these cytotoxic complexes confers specificity for tumor cell membranes through protein interactions that are maintained even in the lipid complex, in the presence of OA.

Antimicrobial lipids: Emerging effector molecules of innate host defense

The antimicrobial properties of host derived lipids have become increasingly recognized and evidence is mounting that antimicrobial lipids (AMLs), like antimicrobial peptides, are effector molecules of the innate immune system and are regulated by its conserved pathways. This review, with primary focus on the human body, provides some background on the biochemistry of lipids, summarizes their biological functions, expands on their antimicrobial properties and site-specific composition, presents modes of synergism with antimicrobial peptides, and highlights the more recent reports on the regulation of AML production as well as bacterial resistance mechanisms. Based on extant data a concept of innate epithelial defense is proposed where epithelial cells, in response to microbial products and proinflammatory cytokines and through activation of conserved innate signaling pathways, increase their lipid uptake and up-regulate transcription of enzymes involved in lipid biosynthesis, and induce transcription of antimicrobial peptides as well as cytokines and chemokines. The subsequently secreted antimicrobial peptides and lipids then attack and eliminate the invader, assisted by or in synergism with other antimicrobial molecules delivered by other defense cells that have been recruited to the site of infection, in most of the cases. This review invites reconsideration of the interpretation of cholesteryl ester accumulation in macrophage lipid droplets in response to infection as a solely proinflammatory event, and proposes a direct antimicrobial role of lipid droplet- associated cholesteryl esters. Finally, for the interested, but new- to- the-field investigator some starting points for the characterization of AMLs are provided. Before it is possible to utilize AMLs for anti-infectious therapeutic and prophylactic approaches, we need to better understand pathogen responses to these lipids and their role in the pathogenesis of chronic infectious disease.

The cytotoxicity of BAMLET complexes is due to oleic acid and independent of the α-lactalbumin component

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We synthesized three different BAMLET complexes consisting of oleic acid coupled to bovine α-lactalbumin.

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Oleic acid micelles alone are tumoricidal at equimolar concentrations of oleic acid bound in the BAMLET complexes.

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α-Lactalbumin is non-toxic to cells even when delivered to their cytoplasm.

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Both, BAMLET and oleic acid micelles showed no selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells.

Lipid–protein complexes comprised of oleic acid (OA) non-covalently coupled to human/bovine α-lactalbumin, named HAMLET/BAMLET, display cytotoxic properties against cancer cells. However, there is still a substantial debate about the role of the protein in these complexes. To shed light into this, we obtained three different BAMLET complexes using varying synthesis conditions. Our data suggest that to form active BAMLET particles, OA has to reach critical micelle concentration with an approximate diameter of 250 nm. Proteolysis experiments on BAMLET show that OA protects the protein and is probably located on the surface, consistent with a micelle-like structure. Native or unfolded α-lactalbumin without OA lacked any tumoricidal activity. In contrast, OA alone killed cancer cells with the same efficiency at equimolar concentrations as its formulation as BAMLET. Our data show unequivocally that the cytotoxicity of the BAMLET complex is exclusively due to OA and that OA alone, when formulated as a micelle, is as toxic as the BAMLET complex. The contradictory literature results on the cytotoxicity of BAMLET might be explained by our finding that it was imperative to sonicate the samples to obtain toxic OA.

Small-angle X-ray scattering of BAMLET at pH 12: a complex of α-lactalbumin and oleic acid

BAMLET (Bovine Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumors) is a member of the family of the HAMLET-like complexes, a novel class of protein-based anti-cancer complexes that incorporate oleic acid and deliver it to cancer cells. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was performed on the complex at pH 12, examining the high pH structure as a function of oleic acid added. The SAXS data for BAMLET species prepared with a range of oleic acid concentrations indicate extended, irregular, partially unfolded protein conformations that vary with the oleic acid concentration. Increases in oleic acid concentration correlate with increasing radius of gyration without an increase in maximum particle dimension, indicating decreasing protein density. The models for the highest oleic acid content BAMLET indicate an unusual coiled elongated structure that contrasts with apo-α-lactalbumin at pH 12, which is an elongated globular molecule, suggesting that oleic acid inhibits the folding or collapse of the protein component of BAMLET to the globular form. Circular dichroism of BAMLET and apo-α-lactalbumin was performed and the results suggest that α-lactalbumin and BAMLET unfold in a continuum of increasing degree of unfolded states. Taken together, these results support a model in which BAMLET retains oleic acid by non-specific association in the core of partially unfolded protein, and represent a new type of lipoprotein structure.

A complex of equine lysozyme and oleic acid with bactericidal activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae

HAMLET and ELOA are complexes consisting of oleic acid and two homologous, yet functionally different, proteins with cytotoxic activities against mammalian cells, with HAMLET showing higher tumor cells specificity, possibly due to the difference in propensity for oleic acid binding, as HAMLET binds 5-8 oleic acid molecules per protein molecule and ELOA binds 11-48 oleic acids. HAMLET has been shown to possess bactericidal activity against a number of bacterial species, particularly those with a respiratory tropism, with Streptococcus pneumoniae displaying the greatest degree of sensitivity. We show here that ELOA also displays bactericidal activity against pneumococci, which at lower concentrations shows mechanistic similarities to HAMLET’s bactericidal activity. ELOA binds to S. pneumoniae and causes perturbations of the plasma membrane, including depolarization and subsequent rupture, and activates an influx of calcium into the cells. Selective inhibition of calcium channels and sodium/calcium exchange activity significantly diminished ELOA’s bactericidal activity, similar to what we have observed with HAMLET. Finally, ELOA-induced death was also accompanied by DNA fragmentation into high molecular weight fragments – an apoptosis-like morphological phenotype that is seen during HAMLET-induced death. Thus, in contrast to different mechanisms of eukaryote cell death induced by ELOA and HAMLET, these complexes are characterized by rather similar activities towards bacteria. Although the majority of these events could be mimicked using oleic acid alone, the concentrations of oleic acid required were significantly higher than those present in the ELOA complex, and for some assays, the results were not identical between oleic acid alone and the ELOA complex. This indicates that the lipid, as a common denominator in both complexes, is an important component for the complexes’ bactericidal activities, while the proteins are required both to solubilize and/or present the lipid at the bacterial membrane and likely to confer other and separate functions during the bacterial death.

Oleic acid may be the key contributor in the BAMLET-induced erythrocyte hemolysis and tumoricidal action

A chance discovery of the tumoricidal action of a human milk fraction led to the characterization of the active component as oleic acid complex of the α-lactalbumin, which was given the acronym HAMLET. We report in this study that the oleic acid complex of bovine α-lactalbumin (BAMLET) is hemolytic to human erythrocytes as well as to those derived from some other mammals. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis suggested binding of BAMLET to erythrocytes prior to induction of hemolysis. Free OA was hemolytic albeit at higher concentrations, while sodium oleate caused hemolysis at far lower concentrations. Amiloride and BaCl2 offered protection against BAMLET-induced hemolysis suggesting the involvement of a cation leak channel in the process. BAMLET coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose was not only hemolytic but also tumoricidal to Jurkat and MCF-7 cells in culture. The Sepharose-linked preparation was however not toxic to non-cancerous peritoneal macrophages and primary adipocytes. The tumoricidal action was studied using the MTT-assay while apoptosis induction measured by the annexin V-propidium iodide assay. Repeated incubation of the immobilized BAMLET with erythrocytes depleted oleic acid and decreased the hemolytic activity of the complex. Incubation of MCF-7 and Jurkat cells with OA, soluble or immobilized BAMLET resulted in increase in the uptake of Lyso Tracker Red and Nile red by the cells. The data presented support the contention that oleic acid plays the key role, both in BAMLET-induced hemolysis and tumoricidal action.

Structural characterization of more potent alternatives to HAMLET, a tumoricidal complex of α-lactalbumin and oleic acid

HAMLET is a complex of human α-lactalbumin (hLA) with oleic acid (OA) that kills various tumor cells and strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. More potent protein-OA complexes were previously reported for bovine α-lactalbumin (bLA) and β-lactoglobulin (bLG), and pike parvalbumin (pPA), and here we explore their structural features. The concentration dependencies of the tryptophan fluorescence of hLA, bLA, and bLG complexes with OA reveal their disintegration at protein concentrations below the micromolar level. Chemical cross-linking experiments provide evidence that association with OA shifts the distribution of oligomeric forms of hLA, bLA, bLG, and pPA toward higher-order oligomers. This effect is confirmed for bLA and bLG using the dynamic light scattering method, while pPA is shown to associate with OA vesicles. Like hLA binding, OA binding increases the affinity of bLG for small unilamellar dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles, while pPA efficiently binds to the vesicles irrespective of OA binding. The association of OA with bLG and pPA increases their α-helix and cross-β-sheet content and resistance to enzymatic proteolysis, which is indicative of OA-induced protein structuring. The lack of excess heat sorption during melting of bLG and pPA in complex with OA and the presence of a cooperative thermal transition at the level of their secondary structure suggest that the OA-bound forms of bLG and pPA lack a fixed tertiary structure but exhibit a continuous thermal transition. Overall, despite marked differences, the HAMLET-like complexes that were studied exhibit a common feature: a tendency toward protein oligomerization. Because OA-induced oligomerization has been reported for other proteins, this phenomenon is inherent to many proteins.

HAMLET: functional properties and therapeutic potential

Human α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells (HAMLET) is the first member in a new family of protein–lipid complexes that kills tumor cells with high selectivity. The protein component of HAMLET is α-lactalbumin, which in its native state acts as a substrate specifier in the lactose synthase complex, thereby defining a function essential for the survival of lactating mammals. In addition, α-lactalbumin acquires tumoricidal activity after partial unfolding and binding to oleic acid. The lipid cofactor serves the dual role as a stabilizer of the altered fold of the protein and a coactivator of specific steps in tumor cell death. HAMLET is broadly tumoricidal, suggesting that the complex identifies conserved death pathways suitable for targeting by novel therapies. Sensitivity to HAMLET is defined by oncogene expression including Ras and c-Myc and by glycolytic enzymes. Cellular targets are located in the cytoplasmic membrane, cytoskeleton, mitochondria, proteasomes, lysosomes and nuclei, and specific signaling pathways are rapidly activated, first by interactions of HAMLET with the cell membrane and subsequently after HAMLET internalization. Therapeutic effects of HAMLET have been demonstrated in human skin papillomas and bladder cancers, and HAMLET limits the progression of human glioblastomas, with no evidence of toxicity for normal brain or bladder tissue. These findings open up new avenues for cancer therapy and the understanding of conserved death responses in tumor cells.