The HAMLET case: what can we learn from a misfolded protein that triggers tumour cell death?

摘要

The paper released by the group at Lund University completes a long series of contributions (during two decades establishing the tumoricidal property of a complex of partially unfolded alpha-human-lactalbumin (HLA, the abundant 14.2-kDa milk protein) with oleic acid. The complex was named by the Swedish group as HAMLET for "human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumour cells".The present contribution evidences a membrane perturbation to sustain the pro-apoptotic activity observed for the complex. Indeed, it is amazing that the complex is comprised of two biological begnin and inactive compounds taken separately.