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Milk may help fight cancer
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Milk consumption has always been associated with improved health, with a reduced risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Swedish scientists from Lund University have found that, thanks to the lactoferricin 4-14 protein (Lfcin4-14) contained in milk, milk is able to suppress the growth of colon cancer cells by prolonging the cell cycle for a long period of time before chromosomes are replicated.
The results of the scientists’ research were published in the October issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.
During the research, the specialists exposed colon cancer cells to radiation, which damaged DNA. In the next stage of the experiments, the scientists grew the cells, in the first case using lactoferricin 4-14, and in the second - without using it in the cell growth process.
To understand the mechanism by which lactoferricin 4-14 reduces DNA damage, the researchers assessed the levels of several proteins involved in cell cycle progression, DNA repair, and cell death.
They found an increase in flap endonuclease-1, a protein associated with DNA synthesis, a decrease in B-cell lymphoma X-interacting protein 2, which is associated with cell death, and a decrease in H2AX, indicating more efficient DNA repair.
"These changes in expression support our hypothesis that exposure to lactoferricin 4-14 resulted in increased cellular DNA repair," said lead author Dr. Stina Oredsson.
Dr. Oredsson notes that in general, cancer cells have defects in DNA repair mechanisms. Thus, lactoferricin 4-14 may have a greater effect on normal cells than on cancer cells.
"Our data suggest that the cell cycle prolonging effect of lactoferricin 4-14 may contribute to cancer prevention through milk. However, further studies of the effects of this protein using other methods are needed to draw any definitive conclusions," Dr. Oredsson concludes.
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