Methanolic extracts of Plocamium telfairiae induce cytotoxicity and caspase-dependent apoptosis in HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells

Characterization of Plocamium telfairiae Extract-Functionalized Au Nanostructures and Their Anti-Adipogenic Activity through PLD1

Here, Au nanostructure (AuNS) biosynthesis was mediated through ethanolic extract of Plocamium telfairiae (PT) without the use of stabilizers or surfactants. PT-functionalized AuNSs (PT-AuNSs) were analyzed using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Stable monodisperse PT-AuNSs were synthesized, with a mean size of 15.36 ± 0.10 nm and zeta potential of −35.85 ± 1.36 mV. Moreover, biosynthetic AuNPs with a face-centered structure of PT-AuNS exhibited crystalline characteristics. In addition, many functional groups playing important roles in the biological reduction of PT extracts were adsorbed on the surface of PT-AuNSs. Furthermore, the effects of PT-AuNSs on adipogenesis in immature adipocytes were investigated. PT-AuNSs reduced morphological changes, lowered triglyceride content, and increased lipid accumulation by approximately 78.6% in immature adipocytes compared with the values in mature adipocytes (MDI-induced). PT-AuNS suppressed lipid accumulation by downregulating the transcript and protein expression of C/EBPα, PPARγ, SREBP 1, FAS, and aP2. Finally, PT-AuNS induced the transcript and protein expression of UCP1, PRDM16, and PGC1a, thereby increasing mitochondrial biogenesis in mature adipocytes and effectively inducing brown adipogenesis. In this study, the biosynthesized PT-AuNS was used as a potential therapeutic candidate because it conferred a potent anti-lipogenic effect. As a result, it can be used in various scientific fields such as medicine and the environment.

Seaweed-Based Molecules and Their Potential Biological Activities: An Eco-Sustainable Cosmetics

Amongst the countless marine organisms, seaweeds are considered as one of the richest sources of biologically active ingredients having powerful biological activities. Seaweeds or marine macroalgae are macroscopic multicellular eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms and have the potential to produce a large number of valuable compounds, such as proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, amino acids, phenolic compounds, pigments, etc. Since it is a prominent source of bioactive constituents, it finds diversified industrial applications viz food and dairy, pharmaceuticals, medicinal, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, etc. Moreover, seaweed-based cosmetic products are risen up in their demands by the consumers, as they see them as a promising alternative to synthetic cosmetics. Normally it contains purified biologically active compounds or extracts with several compounds. Several seaweed ingredients that are useful in cosmeceuticals are known to be effective alternatives with significant benefits. Many seaweeds' species demonstrated skin beneficial activities, such as antioxidant, anti-melanogenesis, antiaging, photoprotection, anti-wrinkle, moisturizer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant properties, as well as certain antimicrobial activities, such as antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities. This review presents applications of bioactive molecules derived from marine algae as a potential substitute for its current applications in the cosmetic industry. The biological activities of carbohydrates, proteins, phenolic compounds and pigments are discussed as safe sources of ingredients for the consumer and cosmetic industry.

Bioactive Metabolites from Marine Algae as Potent Pharmacophores against Oxidative Stress-Associated Human Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

In addition to cancer and diabetes, inflammatory and ROS-related diseases represent one of the major health problems worldwide. Currently, several synthetic drugs are used to reduce oxidative stress; nevertheless, these approaches often have side effects. Therefore, to overcome these issues, the search for alternative therapies has gained importance in recent times. Natural bioactive compounds have represented, and they still do, an important source of drugs with high therapeutic efficacy. In the ''synthetic'' era, terrestrial and aquatic photosynthetic organisms have been shown to be an essential source of natural compounds, some of which might play a leading role in pharmaceutical drug development. Marine organisms constitute nearly half of the worldwide biodiversity. In the marine environment, algae, seaweeds, and seagrasses are the first reported sources of marine natural products for discovering novel pharmacophores. The algal bioactive compounds are a potential source of novel antioxidant and anticancer (through modulation of the cell cycle, metastasis, and apoptosis) compounds. Secondary metabolites in marine Algae, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins, could have great therapeutic implications against several diseases. In this context, this review focuses on the diversity of functional compounds extracted from algae and their potential beneficial effects in fighting cancer, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases.

Insight into Oral Biofilm: Primary, Secondary and Residual Caries and Phyto-Challenged Solutions

INTRODUCTION

Dental caries is known to be one of the most widespread, chronic infections affecting all ages and populations worldwide. The plethora of oral microbial population paves way for various endogenous infections and plays a crucial role in polymicrobial interactions contributing to biofilm-mediated diseases like caries and periodontal diseases.

METHODS

Extensive literature survey was conducted using the scientific databases like PubMed, Google scholar, Science Direct, etc. using the key words like dental caries, orodental infections, dental microbes, dental biofilm, secondary caries, phytotherapy, etc. The literature was analyzed thoroughly and critical review was performed.

RESULTS

The risk of development of secondary caries and residual caries further results in treatment failure. Drug resistance developed by oral microbes and further side effects pose serious hurdles in the current therapeutic strategies. The hyperactivities of various MMPs and the resulting massive ECM degradation are the challenging part in the design of effective therapeutic approaches. Anticariogenic phytotherapy is well appreciated owing to lesser side effects and versatility of their action. But appreciable outcomes regarding the phytochemical bioavailability and bioretention are still challenging. Site-specific delivery of phytoagents at the infected site may enhance the efficiency of these drugs. Accordingly emerging phytodentistry can be promising for the management of secondary and residual caries.

CONCLUSION

This article presents major cariogens and their mechanisms in initiating and aggravating dental caries. Effectiveness of phytotherapy and different mode of action of phytochemicals against cariogens are outlined. The article also raises major concerns and possibilities of phytochemical based therapeutics to be applied in the clinical arena of caries management.

An Aqueous Extract of Marine Microalgae Exhibits Antimetastatic Activity through Preferential Killing of Suspended Cancer Cells and Anticolony Forming Activity

Research on marine natural products as potential anticancer agents is still limited. In the present study, an aqueous extract of a Canadian marine microalgal preparation was assessed for anticancer activities using various assays and cell lines of human cancers, including lung, prostate, stomach, breast, and pancreatic cancers, as well as an osteosarcoma. In vitro, the microalgal extract exhibited marked anticolony forming activity. In addition, it was more toxic, as indicated by increased apoptosis, to nonadherent cells (grown in suspension) than to adherent cells. In vivo, an antimetastatic effect of the extract was observed in NOD-SCID mice carrying subrenal capsule xenografts of PC3 prostate cancer cells. The results of the present study suggest that the antimetastatic effect of the aqueous microalgal extract is based on inhibition of colony forming ability of cancer cells and the preferential killing of suspended cancer cells. Further research aimed at identification of the molecular basis of the anticancer activities of the microalgal extract appears to be warranted.

Phytoconstituents as apoptosis inducing agents: strategy to combat cancer

Advancement in the field of cancer molecular biology has aided researchers to develop various new chemopreventive agents which can target cancer cells exclusively. Cancer chemopreventive agents have proficiency to inhibit, reverse and delay process of carcinogenesis during its early and later course. Chemopreventive agents can act as antioxidative, antimutagenic/antigenotoxic, anti-inflammatory agents or via aiming various molecular targets in a cell to induce cell death. Apoptosis is a kind of cell death which shows various cellular morphological alterations such as cell shrinkage, blebbing of membrane, chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, formation of apoptotic bodies etc. Nowadays, apoptosis is being one of the new approaches for the identification and development of novel anticancer therapies. For centuries, plants are known to play part in daily routine from providing food to management of human health. In the last two decades, diverse phytochemicals and various botanical formulations have been characterized as agents that possess potential to execute cancer cells via inducing apoptosis. Data obtained from the research carried out globally pointed out that natural products are the potential candidates which have capability to combat cancer. In the present review, we surveyed literature on natural products which throws light on the mechanism through which these phytochemicals induce apoptosis in cancer cells.

Methanolic extracts of Solieria robusta inhibits proliferation of oral cancer Ca9-22 cells via apoptosis and oxidative stress

Many red algae-derived natural products are known to have anticancer effects. The biological functions of the red alga Solieria robusta from the Karachi coast (Pakistan) remain unclear. Here, we prepared a methanolic extracts of S. robusta (MESR) to examine its possible anti-oral cancer effects and the corresponding mechanism of action. Cell viability of MESR-incubated oral cancer Ca9-22 cells was dose-responsively decreased (p<0.001). According to a propidium iodide (PI)-based assay the cell cycle distribution was dramatically changed, especially for subG1 accumulation. Annexin V/PI assay of apoptosis using flow cytometry also showed that MESR-incubated Ca9-22 cells were dose-responsively increased (p<0.001). For evaluation of oxidative stress in MESR-incubated Ca9-22 cells, we found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were overexpressed dose- and time-responsively and mitochondrial depolarization was also increased (p<0.001). Taken together, MESR showed inhibitory effects on oral cancer proliferation coupled with apoptosis and oxidative stress.

Marine algal natural products with anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties

For their various bioactivities, biomaterials derived from marine algae are important ingredients in many products, such as cosmetics and drugs for treating cancer and other diseases. This mini-review comprehensively compares the bioactivities and biological functions of biomaterials from red, green, brown, and blue-green algae. The anti-oxidative effects and bioactivities of several different crude extracts of algae have been evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Natural products derived from marine algae protect cells by modulating the effects of oxidative stress. Because oxidative stress plays important roles in inflammatory reactions and in carcinogenesis, marine algal natural products have potential for use in anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Cytotoxic effect of ethanol extract of microalga, Chaetoceros calcitrans, and its mechanisms in inducing apoptosis in human breast cancer cell line

Marine microalgae have been prominently featured in cancer research. Here, we examined cytotoxic effect and apoptosis mechanism of crude ethanol extracts of an indigenous microalga, Chaetoceros calcitrans (UPMAAHU10) on human breast cell lines. MCF-7 was more sensitive than MCF-10A with IC50 value of 3.00 ± 0.65, whilst the IC50 value of Tamoxifen against MCF-7 was 12.00 ± 0.52 μg/mL after 24 hour incubation. Based on Annexin V/Propidium iodide and cell cycle flow cytometry analysis, it was found that inhibition of cell growth by EEC on MCF-7 cells was through the induction of apoptosis without cell cycle arrest. The apoptotic cells at subG0/G1 phase in treated MCF-7 cells at 48 and 72 hours showed 34 and 16 folds increased compared to extract treated MCF-10A cells which showed only 6 and 7 folds increased at the same time points, respectively. Based on GeXP study, EEC induced apoptosis on MCF-7 cells via modulation of CDK2, MDM2, p21Cip1, Cyclin A2, Bax and Bcl-2. The EEC treated MCF-7 cells also showed an increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio that in turn activated the caspase-dependent pathways by activating caspase 7. Thus, marine microalga, Chaetoceros calcitrans may be considered a good candidate to be developed as a new anti-breast cancer drug.

Application of HPLC-NMR in the identification of plocamenone and isoplocamenone from the marine red alga Plocamium angustum

A combination of on-line HPLC-NMR and off-line chemical investigations has resulted in the identification of the previously reported polyhalogenated monoterpene plocamenone, together with the new structural analogue isoplocamenone from the crude extract of the marine alga Plocamium angustum. On-flow and stop-flow HPLC-NMR analyses (including the acquisition of WET 2D NMR spectra) rapidly assisted in the identification of the major component plocamenone and in the partial identification of its unstable double bond isomer isoplocamenone. Conventional off-line isolation and structural characterization techniques were employed to unequivocally confirm both structures, leading to a structural revision for plocamenone, as well as to obtain sufficient quantities for biological testing.

Anti-proliferative effect of methanolic extract of Gracilaria tenuistipitata on oral cancer cells involves apoptosis, DNA damage, and oxidative stress

Background

Methanolic extracts of Gracilaria tenuistipitata (MEGT) were obtained from the edible red algae. Previously, we found that water extract of G. tenuistipitata was able to modulate oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and its related cellular responses.

Methods

In this study, the methanol extraction product MEGT was used to evaluate the cell growth inhibition in oral cancer cells and its possible mechanism was investigated.

Results

The cell viability of MEGT treated Ca9-22 oral cancer cell line was significantly decreased in a dose–response manner (p < 0.05). The sub-G1 population and annexin V intensity of MEGT-treated Ca9-22 cancer cells were significantly increased in a dose–response manner (p < 0.0005 and p < 0.001, respectively). The γH2AX intensities of MEGT-treated Ca9-22 cancer cells were significantly increased in a dose–response manner (p < 0.05). The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH)-positive intensities of MEGT-treated Ca9-22 oral cancer cells were significantly increased and decreased, respectively, in a dose–response manner (p < 0.05). The DiOC₂(3) intensity for mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of MEGT-treated Ca9-22 cancer cells was significantly decreased in a dose–response manner (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

These results indicated that MEGT had apoptosis-based cytotoxicity against oral cancer cells through the DNA damage, ROS induction, and mitochondrial depolarization. Therefore, MEGT derived from the edible algae may have potential therapeutic effects against oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Purification, characterization and in vitro anti-tumor activity of proteins from Arca subcrenata Lischke

Two purified proteins G-6 and G-4-2 were obtained from Arca subcrenata Lischke using the homogenization, salting-out with ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography techniques. The purity of G-6 and G-4-2 was over 96%, as measured by RP-HPLC. G-6 and G-4-2 were measured by SDS-PAGE and IEF-PAGE to have molecular weights of 8.2 kDa and 16.0 kDa, and isoelectric points of 6.6 and 6.1, respectively. The amino acid constituents of G-6 and G-4-2 were also determined. The existence of saccharides in G-6 was demonstrated by the phenol-sulfuric acid method. G-6 and G-4-2 inhibited the proliferation of human tumor cells in vitro. By MTT assay, the IC₅₀ values of G-4-2 were 22.9 μg/mL, 46.1 μg/mL and 57.7 μg/mL against Hela, HL-60 and KB cell lines, respectively, and the IC₅₀ value of G-6 against HL-60 cell line was measured to be 123.2 μg/mL.