Modified Citrus Peptides
Modified Citrus Peptides
Modified Citrus Peptides
Medical Breakthrough:
The unique history and future of
Modified Citrus Pectin
I’ll never forget these words. They came from Dr. Ruth Cohen,
a neighbor of mine during my childhood in Israel 40 years
ago. In a country known for its prized citrus fruits, she and
her husband, Leo, were organic chemistry scientists with a
particular focus on the study of citrus pectin.
In best health,
In the intestinal tract, pectin can bind and help remove mutagens
which have harmful particles such as heavy metals, radioactive
isotopes, and environmental toxins capable of mutating DNA,
disrupting cellular functions, and wreaking havoc in the
body. This is why pectin is known to reduce cancerous risks
to your colon, and there are over a dozen published studies
demonstrating this relationship.
understood for many years, its molecules are simply too large
to provide benefits to other parts of the body. The additional
disease-fighting properties in pectin remained untapped until
the discovery of Modified Citrus Pectin.
MCP
Galectin-3
Heavy metals and toxins are a silent but serious health threat.
Regrettably, we encounter toxins on a daily basis: there’s
mercury in amalgam dental fillings and in fish and seafood; lead
in foods, old paint and water pipes; and numerous other heavy
metals present in our air, water, soil and food chain. Even with
the best efforts, it’s nearly impossible to avoid some level of
exposure, and even small amounts can accumulate in our body
and contribute to the development of serious chronic illnesses.
Arthritis
The finding that Galectin-3 is present in the inflamed joints in
patients with rheumatoid arthritis strongly suggests that this
protein is associated with the development and progression
of this degenerative disease. Further research proves that
Galectin-3 plays a large role in the development and
progression of rheumatoid arthritis and that the disease severity
is accompanied by harmful immune responses influenced by
Galectin-3.
Diabetes
Diabetes resistance has also been linked to reduced Galectin-3.
Mice with reduced Galectin-3 levels were shown through
various measurements of diabetes progression to be resistant
to the development of diabetes, as compared with mice that
had normal levels of Galectin-3. The same mice with reduced
Galectin-3 levels also showed a reduction in inflammation.
Related research has demonstrated that reduction in Galectin-3
levels slows the breakdown of the inner blood-retinal barrier
that typically occurs early in diabetes.
Liver Fibrosis
Inflammation and fibrosis of the liver has also been linked to
excess Galectin-3.
Cardiovascular Disease
Using MCP to reduce Galectin-3 levels offers an important
treatment option for cardiac diseases, particularly by reducing
cardiac inflammation and fibrosis. Reducing Galectin-3 levels
in the cardiac tissues of mice resulted in lowered inflammation
and fibrosis in the cardiovascular system. Further studies
suggest that lowering galactin-3 levels following a heart insult
or cardiac event can reduce or suppress cardiac fibrosis and
heart disease.
- Galectin-3 levels above 17.8 ng/ml are considered to be an extreme risk factor of mortality.
- Ideal levels are below 14 ng/ml in the general population.
- For cancer and cardiac patients, ideal levels are below 12 ng/ml.
- It’s important to recognize that when levels change by 20% within 3 months, these changes correlate
with increases or decreases in disease progression and mortality risk.
Forsman H, Islander U, Andréasson E, Andersson A, Onnheim K, Karlström A, Sävman K, Magnusson M, Brown KL, Karlsson A.
Galectin 3 aggravates joint inflammation and destruction in antigen-induced arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2011 Feb;63(2):445-54.
Guess B, Scholz M, Strum S, Lam RY, Johnson HJ, Jennrich RI. Modified citrus pectin (MCP) increases the prostate specific antigen
doubling time in men with prostate cancer: A Phase II clinical trial. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2003;6(4):301-4.
Gunning, P, Bongaerts, RJM, Morris, VJ. Recognition of galactan components of pectin by Galectin-3. FASEB J. 2009, 23, 415–424.
Henderson NC, Mackinnon AC, Farnworth SL, Kipari T, Haslett C, Iredale JP, Liu FT, Hughes J, Sethi T. Galectin-3 expression and
secretion links macrophages to the promotion of renal fibrosis. Am J Pathol. 2008 Feb;172(2):288-98.
Hexeberg S, Hexeberg E, Willumsen N, Berge RK. A study on lipid metabolism in the heart and liver of cholesterol- and pectin-fed
rats. Br J Nutr, 1994, Feb, 71(2):181-92.
Honjo Y, Nangia-Makker P, Inohara H, Raz A. Down-regulation of Galectin-3 suppresses tumorigenicity of human breast carcinoma
cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2001 Mar;7(3):661-8.
Hsu DK, Chen HY, Liu FT. Galectin-3 regulates T-cell functions. Immunol Rev. 2009 Jul;230(1):114-27.
Iacobini C, Menini S, Ricci C, Fantauzzi CB, Scipioni A, Salvi L, Cordone S, Delucchi F, Serino M, Federici M, Pricci F, Pugliese
G. Galectin-3 ablation protects mice from diet-induced NASH: A major scavenging role for Galectin-3 in liver. J Hepatol. 2011
May;54(5):975-83.
Inohara H, Raz A. Effects of natural complex carbohydrate (citrus pectin) on murine melanoma cell properties related to Galectin-3
functions. Glycoconj J, 1994; 11(6): 527-32.
Jiang, J, Isaac Eliaz, I, Sliva, D. Synergistic effect of modified citrus pectin with two novel poly botanical compounds, in the suppression
of invasive behavior of human breast and prostate cancer cells. 2011 (Submitted for Publication).
Johnson KD, Glinskii OV, Mossine VV, Turk JR, Mawhinney TP, Anthony DC, Henry CJ, Huxley VH, Glinsky GV, Pienta KJ, Raz A,
Glinsky VV. Galectin-3 as a potential therapeutic target in tumors arising from malignant endothelia. Neoplasia. 2007 Aug;9(8):662-70.
Kolatsi-Joannou, M, Price, KL, Winyard, PJ, Long, DA. Modified citrus pectin reduces Galectin-3 expression and disease severity in
experimental acute kidney injury. PLoS ONE 6(4): e18683. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0018683
Li W, Jian-jun W, Xue-Feng Z, Feng Z. CD133(+) human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells induce apoptosis of CD8(+) T cells by
highly expressed Galectin-3. Clin Invest Med. 2010 Feb 1;33(1):E44-53.
Lin YH, Lin LY, Wu YW, Chien KL, Lee CM, Hsu RB, Chao CL, Wang SS, Hsein YC, Liao LC, Ho YL, Chen MF. The relationship
between serum Galectin-3 and serum markers of cardiac extracellular matrix turnover in heart failure patients. Clin Chim Acta. 2009
Nov;409(1-2):96-9.
Mensah-Brown EP, Al Rabesi Z, Shahin A, Al Shamsi M, Arsenijevic N, Hsu DK, Liu FT, Lukic ML. Targeted disruption of the
Galectin-3 gene results in decreased susceptibility to multiple low dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice. Clin Immunol. 2009
Jan;130(1):83-8.
Miyazaki J, Hokari R, Kato S, Tsuzuki Y, Kawaguchi A, Nagao S, Itoh K, Miura S. Increased expression of Galectin-3 in primary gastric
cancer and the metastatic lymph nodes. Oncol Rep. 2002 Nov-Dec;9(6):1307-12.
Müller S, Schaffer T, Flogerzi B, Fleetwood A, Weimann R, Schoepfer AM, Seibold F. Galectin-3 modulates T cell activity and is
reduced in the inflamed intestinal epithelium in IBD. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2006 Jul;12(7):588-97.
Nangia-Makker P, Hogan V, Honjo Y, Baccarini S, Tait L, Bresalier R, Raz A. Inhibition of human cancer cell growth and matastasis in
nude mice by oral intake of modified citrus pectin. J Natl Cancer Inst, 2002; 94:1854-62.
Nangia-Makker P, Honjo Y, Sarvis R, Akahani S, Hogan V, Pienta KJ, Raz A. Galectin-3 induces endothelial cell morphogenesis and
angiogenesis. Am J Pathol. 2000 Mar;156(3):899-909.
Oakley MS, Majam V, Mahajan B, Gerald N, Anantharaman V, Ward JM, Faucette LJ, McCutchan TF, Zheng H, Terabe M, Berzofsky
JA, Aravind L, Kumar S. Pathogenic roles of CD14, Galectin-3, and OX40 during experimental cerebral malaria in mice. PLoS One.
2009 Aug 27;4(8):e6793.
Pienta KJ, Naik H, Akhtar A, Yamazaki K, Replogle TS, Lehr J, Donat TL, Tait L, Hogan V, Raz A. Inhibition of spontaneous matastasis
in a rat prostate cancer model by oral administration of modified citrus pectin. J Natl Cancer Inst, March 1, 1995, 1:87(5):348-53.
Platt D, Raz A. Modulation of the lung colonization of B16-F1 melanoma cells by citrus pectin. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1994; 84(6):438-42.
Psarras S, Mavroidis M, Sanoudou D, Davos CH, Xanthou G, Varela AE, Panoutsakopoulou V, Capetanaki Y. Regulation of adverse
remodeling by osteopontin in a genetic heart failure model. Eur Heart J. 2011 Apr 26. [Epub ahead of print]
Ramachandran, C, Wilk, BJ, Hotchkiss, A, Chau, H, Eliaz, I. Melnick, SJ. Activation of human T-helper/inducer cell, T-cytotoxic/
suppressor cell, B-cell, and natural killer (NK)-cells and induction of natural killer cell activity against K562 chronic myeloid leukemia
cells with modified citrus pectin. 2011. (Submitted for Publication).
Romanenko AE, Dereviago IB, Litenko VA, Obodovich AN. Further improvement in the administration of pectin as a preventive agent
against absorption of radionuclides by human body. Gig Tr Prof Zabol, 1991;(12):8-10.
Saegusa J, Hsu DK, Chen HY, Yu L, Fermin A, Fung MA, Liu FT. Galectin-3 is critical for the development of the allergic inflammatory
response in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. Am J Pathol. 2009 Mar;174(3):922-31.
Sethi K, Sarkar S, Das S, Mohanty B, Mandal M. Biomarkers for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. J Exp Ther Oncol. 2010;8(4):341-52.
Sioud M, Mobergslien A, Boudabous A, Fløisand Y. Evidence for the involvement of Galectin-3 in mesenchymal stem cell suppression
of allogeneic T-cell proliferation. Scand J Immunol. 2010 Apr;71(4):267-74.
Strum,S, Scholz, M, McDermed, J, McCulloch, M, Eliaz, I. Modified citrus pectin slows PSA doubling time: A Pilot Clinical Trial.
International Conference on Diet and Prevention of Cancer. 1999 Tampere, Finland.
Vagnucci Jr AH, Li WW. Alzheimer’s disease and angiogenesis. The Lancet. Feb 15, 2003.
Vankrunkelsven A, De Ceulaer K, Hsu D, Liu FT, De Baetselier P, Stijlemans B. Lack of Galectin-3 alleviates trypanosomiasis-
associated anemia of inflammation. Immunobiology. 2010 Sep-Oct;215(9-10):833-41.
Weiss, T, McCulloch, M, Eliaz, I. Modified citrus pectin induces cytotoxicity of prostate cacner cells in co-cultures with human
endothelial monolayers. International Conference on Diet and Prevention of Cancer. 1999 Tampere, Finland.
Wang CR, Shiau AL, Chen SY, Cheng ZS, Li YT, Lee CH, Yo YT, Lo CW, Lin YS, Juan HY, Chen YL, Wu CL. Intra-articular
lentivirus-mediated delivery of Galectin-3 shRNA and galectin-1 gene ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis. Gene Ther. 2010
Oct;17(10):1225-33.
Wang, Y, Nangia-Makker, P, Larry Tait, T, Vitaly Balan, V, Victor Hogan,V, Kenneth J. Pienta, KJ, Raz, A. Regulation of prostate cancer
progression by Galectin-3. Am J Pathol. 2009 Apr;174(4):1515-23.
Yan, J, and Katz, AE. PectaSol-C modified citrus pectin induces apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation in human and mouse androgen-
dependent and- independent prostate cancer cells. Integr Cancer Ther 2010;9:197-203.
Yu, LJ. Circulating Galectin-3 in the bloodstream: An emerging promoter of cancer metastasis. World J Gastrointest Oncol. 2010 ;
2(4):177-180.
Zhao, Z. Y., Liang, L., Fan, X., Yu, Z., Hotchkiss, A.T., Wilk, B. J., Eliaz, I. The role of modified citrus pectin as an effective chelator of
lead in children hospitalized with toxic lead levels. Altern Ther Health Med. 2008;(4):34-38.
Zhao, Q, Barclay, M, Hilkens, J, Xiuli Guo, X , Barrow, H, Rhodes, JM, Yu, LG. Interaction between circulating Galectin-3 and cancer-
associated MUC1 enhances tumour cell homotypic aggregation and prevents anoikis. Molecular Cancer. 2010, 9:154-166.
Zuberi RI, Hsu DK, Kalayci O, Chen HY, Sheldon HK, Yu L, Apgar JR, Kawakami T, Lilly CM, Liu FT. Critical role for Galectin-3
in airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in a murine model of asthma. Am J Pathol. 2004 Dec;165(6):2045-53.