I don’t want to upset any dairy farmers out there, but I just report news, not manufacture it. According to B. C. Melnik (et al.), “The Impact of cow’s Milk-Mediated mTORC1-Signaling in the Initiation and Progression of Prostate Cancer,” Nutrition and Metabolism, vol. 9, 2012, prostate cancer depends upon androgen receptor signalling, these being the male hormones. Milk proteins can increase mTORCI signals (which activate translations of proteins) to cancer cells. That is the short and sweet, or is it bitter, story. The more complex biochemistry, for our many hundreds of biochemistry enthusiasts is as follows:
“Prostate cancer (PCa) is dependent on androgen receptor signaling and aberrations of the PI3K-Akt-mTORC1 pathway mediating excessive and sustained growth signaling. The nutrient-sensitive kinase mTORC1 is upregulated in nearly 100% of advanced human PCas. Oncogenic mTORC1 signaling activates key subsets of mRNAs that cooperate in distinct steps of PCa initiation and progression. Epidemiological evidence points to increased dairy protein consumption as a major dietary risk factor for the development of PCa. mTORC1 is a master regulator of protein synthesis, lipid synthesis and autophagy pathways that couple nutrient sensing to cell growth and cancer.