Abstract: Methods are provided for screening a test compound for anti-neoplastic activity by providing a test compound to a cancer cell and measuring the acetylation of Lysine 16 of the N-terminal tail of histone H4. Methods are also provided for using a test compound for staging a cancer tissue and for measuring the degree of the test compound's anti-neoplastic activity upon a cancer tissue by providing a test compound to a cancer tissue sample and measuring the degree of methylation of nucleotides within the 5? region in the cancer tissue sample.

Abstract: Methods are provided for screening a test compound for anti-neoplastic activity by providing a test compound to a cancer cell and measuring the acetylation of Lysine 16 of the N-terminal tail of histone H4. Methods are also provided for using a test compound for staging a cancer tissue and for measuring the degree of the test compound's anti-neoplastic activity upon a cancer tissue by providing a test compound to a cancer tissue sample and measuring the degree of methylation of nucleotides within the 5? region in the cancer tissue sample.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions of selectively disrupting mitotic function in a target cell demonstrating undesirable mitotic function. Suitable target cells include mammalian, plant and bacterial cells, which cells may be in vitro or in situ. The general methods involve introducing into the target cell an effective amount of a peptide comprising contiguous acidic amino acids, such as Asp or Glu, whereby the undesirable mitotic function of the cell is selectively disrupted. In particular embodiments, the peptide comprises a Gm2S-1 peptide, particularly a lunasin and/or alisin peptide. The peptide may be introduced by transfecting the cell with a nucleic acid encoding the peptide.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions of selectively disrupting mitotic function in a target cell demonstrating undesirable mitotic function. Suitable target cells include mammalian, plant and bacterial cells, which cells may be in vitro or in situ. The general methods involve introducing into the target cell an effective amount of a peptide comprising contiguous acidic amino acids, such as Asp or Glu, whereby the undesirable mitotic function of the cell is selectively disrupted. In particular embodiments, the peptide comprises a Gm2S-1 peptide, particularly a lunasin and/or alisin peptide. The peptide may be introduced by transfecting the cell with a nucleic acid encoding the peptide.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions of selectively disrupting mitotic function in a target cell demonstrating undesirable mitotic function. Suitable target cells include mammalian, plant and bacterial cells, which cells may be in vitro or in situ. The general methods involve introducing into the target cell an effective amount of a peptide comprising contiguous acidic amino acids, such as Asp or Glu, whereby the undesirable mitotic function of the cell is selectively disrupted. In particular embodiments, the peptide comprises a Gm2S-1 peptide, particularly a lunasin and/or alisin peptide. The peptide may be introduced by transfecting the cell with a nucleic acid encoding the peptide.

Abstract: The present invention describes a composition of matter comprising of a conserved structural motif that allows the targeting and binding of a chromatin binding protein to non-acetylated histone H3 and H4 and prevents their acetylation. This invention is responsible for the anti-carcinogenic property of a chromatin binding peptide isolated from soybean seed. This structural motif is found in a highly conserved manner in other chromatin-binding proteins from different species. Modifications to this structural motif such as fusions to other proteins with functional motifs and amino acid substitutions have potential therapeutic applications and can be developed as an in vivo gene silencing technology for biological and medical research. In particular, active fragments of the lunasin peptide and active analogs of the lunasin peptide are useful in this invention. Pharmaceutical compositions useful in retarding or stopping or reducing various types of cancers are described.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and comprisitions for delivering effective amounts of lunasin as a nutraceutical. The general formulation comprises a composition comprising an active unit dosage of a lunasin polypeptide and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The formulations may be delivered or administered by oral ingestion, by topically contacting skin using well known techniques for dermal delivery, by introducing into a retained physiological fluids. The invention also provides methods for making the subject formulations by purifying lunasin polypeptides to the requisite purity, and combining said lunasin polypeptide with a pharmaceuitcally acceptible excipient in an orally active unit dosage. The lunasin source material may be soybeans, a recombinant lunasin polypeptide expression system, a synthetically produced lunasin, or extract or fraction thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions of selectively disrupting mitotic function in a target cell demonstrating undesirable mitotic function. Suitable target cells include mammalian, plant and bacterial cells, which cells may be in vitro or in situ. The general methods involve introducing into the target cell an effective amount of a peptide comprising contiguous acidic amino acids, such as Asp or Glu, whereby the undesirable mitotic function of the cell is selectively disrupted. In particular embodiments, the peptide comprises a Gm2S-1 peptide, particularly a lunasin and/or alisin peptide. The peptide may be introduced by transfecting the cell with a nucleic acid encoding the peptide.