Antiproliferative Activity, Proapoptotic Effect, and Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Cancer Cells of Some Marine Natural...

Area of Science:

• Marine Biotechnology
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Marine organisms are a rich source of bioactive compounds with potential anticancer properties.
• Previous research has explored marine natural products for therapeutic applications.
• The need for novel chemotherapeutic agents with improved efficacy and reduced side effects is ongoing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the in vitro antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities of ethanolic extracts from three marine organisms.
• To evaluate the effects of these extracts on HepG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines.
• To explore the underlying mechanisms of action, including cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction.

Main Methods:

• Collection of Pearsonothuria graeffei, Holothuria atra, and Aplysia dactylomela from the Red Sea.
• Preparation of ethanolic extracts from the collected marine organisms.
• In vitro assessment of antiproliferative activity (IC50 values) and apoptosis induction in HepG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7 cells.

Main Results:

• All three marine extracts demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of HepG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7 cell growth with varying IC50 values.
• Extracts induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in HepG2 cells and inhibited CDK2 in all tested cell lines.
• Apoptosis was induced in HepG2 cells, evidenced by changes in Bax, caspase-3, PARP, and Bcl-2 protein levels, with some necrosis observed.

Conclusions:

• Ethanolic extracts from Pearsonothuria graeffei, Holothuria atra, and Aplysia dactylomela possess significant in vitro anticancer properties.
• These marine-derived compounds exhibit antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects, suggesting their potential as natural chemotherapeutic agents.
• Further development of these marine extracts could lead to novel strategies for cancer control.