Marine Natural Compound (Neviotin A) Displays Anticancer Efficacy by Triggering Transcriptomic Alterations and Cell...

Area of Science:

• Marine Natural Products Chemistry
• Cancer Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Marine sponges are a rich source of bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic applications.
• Breast cancer remains a leading cause of mortality, necessitating novel treatment strategies.
• Understanding the mechanisms of action of natural compounds is crucial for drug discovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the anticancer mechanism of a marine sponge extract (Haliclona fascigera, sample C) in human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells.
• To identify the specific molecular pathways and compounds responsible for the observed anticancer activity.

Main Methods:

• Cell viability assays (MTT, neutral red uptake) to assess proliferation.
• Flow cytometry to analyze reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), mitochondrial potential, and apoptosis.
• Quantitative PCR (qPCR) array and immunofluorescence to examine gene and protein expression related to apoptosis pathways.

Main Results:

• Sample C significantly decreased MCF-7 cell proliferation.
• Treatment induced ROS, NO production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis.
• Key apoptosis-related genes (BIRC5, BCL2L2, TNFRSF1A) and proteins (p53, bax, bcl2, MAPKPK2, PARP-1, caspase-3) were modulated.
• Bioassay-guided fractionation identified Neviotin A as the most potent compound, inducing significant cell death.

Conclusions:

• The marine sponge extract Haliclona fascigera exhibits significant anticancer activity against breast cancer cells.
• The extract induces apoptosis through complex signaling pathways involving ROS, NO, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
• Neviotin A is a promising pharmacologically active compound from this extract for potential breast cancer drug development.