Demet Baldız Dinc, Ceyda Okudu
Experimental and Applied Medical Science - 2025;6(4):298-310
Abstract Purpose: Human breast milk, a source of biologically active molecules, has long been utilized in the treatment of various diseases. Among its components, whey proteins have attracted attention for their potential influence on cancer-related metabolic pathways, particularly peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), a key regulator of tumor progression. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of human milk-derived whey proteins on PPARgamma gene expression and cell migration in gastric cancer cells. Methods: Whey proteins were isolated from breast milk collected from ten mothers with infants aged 0-6 months and applied to AGS gastric cancer cells under laboratory conditions. After 48 hours of incubation, total RNA was extracted, reverse-transcribed to cDNA, and PPARgamma expression levels were quantified using qRT-PCR. In parallel, cell migration was evaluated through wound healing assays. Results: The results indicated differential regulation of PPARgamma expression across samples. A significant increase in expression was observed in samples 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (p<0.05), whereas sample 8 was the only group showing decreased expression. Migration assays further revealed that whey proteins from samples 2, 3, 5, and 8 suppressed cell migration relative to controls, while samples 6, 7, 9, and 10 did not exhibit such effects. Conclusion: Overall, these findings suggest that whey proteins from different individuals exert variable effects on PPARgamma expression and gastric cancer cell migration, potentially reflecting inter-individual differences in protein composition.
