Fucoidan-dependent increased membrane components in HepG2 cells: effect of fucoidan is not due to gene expression

The precise mechanism of the therapeutic effects of fucoidan (sulphated polyfucose) on cultured hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells is as yet unclear.

Protein components between fucoidan-treated and non-treated HepG2 cells were compared through a quantitative micro-sequencing method.

A dramatic and immediate increment of the membrane compartment and a decrement of RNA virus by fucoidan, as an effect of the Ishi-Mozuku (an edible brown seaweed Mozuku of Japan), are demonstrated. The ratio of membrane glycoproteins to total cellular proteins increases from 28.9% to 43.2% (1.5-fold), and the positive-sense single-stranded RNA viral proteins among the total cellular proteins decrease from 5.3% to 0.29% (18-fold), respectively, in response to 0.102 mg/ml fucoidan in HepG2 cells over three days' period.

Fucoidan seems to retard the growth of HepG2 cells through membrane glycoprotein metabolism. Therefore, fucoidan could be expected to have a therapeutic effect on hepatocellular carcinoma.