Anticancer property of Hemp Bioactive Peptides in Hep3B liver cancer cells through Akt/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway

Foodborne protein hydrolysates exhibit biological activity that may be therapeutic in a number of human disease settings. Hemp peptides (HP) generated by controlled hydrolysis of hemp proteins have a number of health benefits and are of pharmaceutical value. In the present study, we produce small molecular weight HP from hemp seed and investigate its anticancer properties in Hep3B human liver cancer cells. We demonstrate that HP treatment increased apoptosis, reduced cell viability, and reduced cell migration in Hep3B human liver cancer cells without affecting the normal liver cell line L02. We correlate these phenotypes with increased cellular ROS levels, upregulation of cleaved caspase 3 and Bad, and downregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2. HP treatment led to increased Akt and GSK-3 beta phosphorylation, with subsequent downregulation of beta-catenin, suggesting beta-catenin signaling modulation as a critical mechanism by which HP exhibits anticancer properties. Our findings suggest HP are of potential therapeutic interest for liver cancer treatment.

Automated summary

Foodborne protein hydrolysates, such as hemp peptides (HP), have therapeutic potential in human diseases, including liver cancer. HP treatment in Hep3B human liver cancer cells increases apoptosis and reduces cell migration, while impacting cellular signaling pathways such as Akt and GSK-3 beta phosphorylation. These findings suggest that HP may be a valuable therapeutic option for liver cancer treatment.