HAMLET, a tumoricidal molecular complex from human milk

HAMLET (Human a-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells) is a protein-lipid complex that kills tumor cells and immature cells but spares healthy, differentiated cells. The complex is formed from partially unfolded a-lactalbumin and oleic acid, both of which are abundant constituents of human milk. The folding change occurs after removal of Ca2+ from native a-lactalbumin, and the partially unfolded protein exposes new fatty acid binding domains, which fit oleic acid. The fatty acid is needed for the tumoricidal activity of the complex, as the unfolded protein alone does not kill tumor cells.