Algae from Portuguese Coast Presented High Cytotoxicity and Antiproliferative Effects on an In vitro Model of Human Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND

The marine environment has shown to be an interesting source of new antitumor agents, representing an important tool in cancer research.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor activities of 12 algae from Peniche coast (Portugal) on an in vitro model of human colorectal cancer (Caco-2 cells).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The antitumor potential was accessed by evaluating Caco-2 cell's viability and proliferation through the 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and calcein-AM methods.

RESULTS

The dichloromethane extracts of Asparagopsis armata and Sphaerococcus coronopifolius induced the highest decrease on cell's viability (1 mg/mL; 24 h), 98.96% ± 0.39% and 98.08% ± 0.89%, respectively, followed by the methanolic extracts of S. coronopifolius (96.47% ± 1.26%) and A. armata (92.68% ± 1.17%). Regarding cell proliferation, the highest decrease of Caco-2 cell's proliferation (1 mg/mL; 24 h) was induced by the dichloromethane extract of A. armata (100% ± 0.48%), S. coronopifolius (99.04 ± 0.51%), and Plocamium cartilagineum (95.05% ± 1.19%). The highest potency was shown by the dichloromethane extract of S. coronopifolius in both, cytotoxicity and antiproliferative tests, with an IC50 of 21.3 and 36.5 μg/mL, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The extracts of A. armata and S. coronopifolius are promising sources of new bioactive molecules with application in cancer therapeutics.

SUMMARY: Algae from Peniche coast (Portugal) revealed to be a promising source of new bioactive compounds with potential application on cancer therapeutics. Abbreviations Used: MTT: 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide; FBS: Fetal bovine serum; MEM: Minimum Essential Medium; SEM: Standard error of the mean;SP : Sulfated polysaccharides.