Epidemiological studies have shown that a protein isolated from bitter melon seeds, MCP30, can inhibit HDAC1 activity, promote histone H3 and H4 acetylation, increase PTEN transcription and inhibit AKT phosphorylation, thereby inducing apoptosis in prostate intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer cell lines.13 This evidence concerns the gene PTEN and prostate intraepithelial neoplasia.