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Anticancer activities of ethanol extract from the Antarctic freshwater microalga, Botryidiopsidaceae sp
Sung-Suk Suh1, Sun-Mi Kim1, Jung Eun Kim1,2
1Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Cancer is a leading cause of human death around the world and occurs through the highly complex coordination of multiple cellular pathways. Recent studies have revealed that microalgal extracts exhibit considerable pharmaceutical activities, including those against various cancer cells. Thus, microalgae are promising candidates as novel cancer therapeutic drugs. In this study, we evaluated the biological functions of the ethanolic extract of the Antarctic freshwater microalga, Bo tryidiopsidaceae sp., such as its antioxidant, anti-proliferative, apoptotic and anti-invasive properties.
Methods:
To estimate antioxidant capacity of ethanol extract of Bo tryidiopsidaceae sp. (ETBO), free radical 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays were used. The anti-proliferative activity of ETBO was assessed in several cancer cell lines (A375, Hs578T and HeLa) and non-tumorigenic keratinocyte cells (HaCaT), using MTT assay. In addition, Annexin V binding was performed to detect ETBO-induced apoptotic cells, and the expression levels of apoptosis-regulating proteins, caspase-3, p53, and Bcl-2, were determined by western blot. Boyden chamber assays were used to determine anti-migratory and anti-invasive properties of ETBO.
Results:
ETBO exhibited antioxidant activity and concentration-dependent anticancer activities, such as anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic activities against cancer cells. Furthermore, the expression of the apoptosis-inducing proteins, p53 and caspase-3, significantly increased in response to ETBO, whereas the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, decreased. These data imply that ETBO induces apoptosis by caspase activation through the modulation of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic gene, p53 and Bcl-2, respectively. In addition, ETBO significantly inhibited migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner.
Conclusion:
In this study, ETBO exhibited considerable anticancer activities, such as inhibition of proliferation, invasion, and migration, as well as induction of apoptosis. These data suggest that ETBO is a promising therapeutic agent in cancer therapy and drug discovery.
Insights
The ethanolic extract of Antarctic microalgae (ETBO) demonstrates significant anticancer properties, including inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while inducing apoptosis. These findings highlight ETBO as a potential new therapeutic agent for cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Marine Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Cancer remains a leading global cause of death, driven by complex cellular pathway dysregulation.
- Microalgal extracts show promise as anticancer agents due to their pharmaceutical activities.
- This study investigates the anticancer potential of an Antarctic freshwater microalgal extract.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the antioxidant, anti-proliferative, apoptotic, and anti-invasive properties of the ethanolic extract of Bo tryidiopsidaceae sp. (ETBO).
- To explore ETBO's potential as a novel therapeutic agent in cancer therapy.
Main Methods:
- Antioxidant capacity assessed using ABTS and DPPH assays.
- Anti-proliferative effects evaluated via MTT assay in various cancer cell lines.
- Apoptosis induction analyzed through Annexin V binding and Western blot for caspase-3, p53, and Bcl-2.
- Anti-migratory and anti-invasive capabilities determined using Boyden chamber assays.
Main Results:
- ETBO exhibited significant antioxidant and concentration-dependent anticancer activities.
- ETBO suppressed cancer cell proliferation and induced apoptosis by increasing p53 and caspase-3 expression while decreasing Bcl-2.
- ETBO markedly inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion.
Conclusions:
- The ethanolic extract of Bo tryidiopsidaceae sp. (ETBO) displays potent anticancer effects.
- ETBO effectively inhibits cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, and induces apoptosis.
- ETBO represents a promising candidate for cancer therapy and drug discovery.
