Anti-cancer, Anti-diabetic and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Methionine gamma-lyase Produced by Streptomyces maritimus Isolated from Soil

Abstract

Cancer and diabetes are prevalent global disorders that affect large segments of the population and exert substantial burdens on national economies, quality of life, and morbidity and mortality indicators. In this study, the therapeutic potential of methionine gamma-lyase (MGL) was investigated as a candidate anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory agent. MGL was produced following the isolation of Streptomyces maritimus from soil, and both starch nitrate agar and a modified formulation were employed as differential and selective media to support biochemical identification of the bacterial isolates. Enzyme purification was achieved through sequential application of acetone precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration chromatography, and ion-exchange chromatography, yielding a substantially enriched protein as confirmed by SDS-PAGE analysis. The biological activities of MGL were assessed using an MTT cytotoxicity assay, an in vitro α-amylase inhibitory assay, and an in vitro anti-inflammatory assay to determine its suitability as an effective and cost-efficient alternative to commonly used protocols. The findings demonstrated that only 14% of Hep-2 cells remained viable at the highest concentration of MGL extract, erythrocyte hemolysis inhibition reached 29% at the lowest concentration tested, and the enzyme exhibited an IC₅₀ of 78 µg mL-1 for α-amylase inhibition, suggesting a promising capacity to attenuate postprandial blood glucose excursions in individuals with diabetes.