An Aqueous Extract of Tuberaria lignosa Inhibits Cell Growth, Alters the Cell Cycle Profile, and Induces Apoptosis of NCI-H460 Tumor Cells

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Five Algae Cultivated in Fully Controlled Closed Systems

In this study, the chemical composition and antioxidant profile of five edible macroalgae, Fucus vesiculosus, Palmaria palmata, Porphyra dioica, Ulva rigida, and Gracilaria gracilis, cultivated in fully controlled closed systems, were determined. Protein, carbohydrates, and fat contents ranged between 12.4% and 41.8%, 27.6% and 42.0%, and 0.1% and 3.4%, respectively. The tested seaweeds presented considerable amounts of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, and Fe, which reinforce their favorable nutritional profile. Regarding their polysaccharide composition, Gracilaria gracilis and Porphyra dioica were rich in sugars common to agar-producing red algae, and Fucus vesiculosus was composed mainly of uronic acids, mannose, and fucose, characteristic of alginate and fucoidans, whereas rhamnose and uronic acid, characteristic of ulvans, predominated in Ulva rigida. Comparatively, the brown F. vesiculosus clearly stood out, presenting a high polysaccharide content rich in fucoidans, and higher total phenolic content and antioxidant scavenging activity, determined by DPPH and ABTS. The remarkable potential of these marine macroalgae makes them excellent ingredients for a wide range of health, food, and industrial applications.

Anti-Proliferative and Genotoxic Activities of the Helichrysum petiolare Hilliard & B.L. Burtt

Helichrysum petiolare (Asteraceae family) is part of the Helichrysum genus which comprises of an estimated 600 species. Several parts of the plant have been used traditionally for the treatment of various ailments, such as cough, infection, asthma, chest problems, diabetes and wounds. Given its various chemical constituents with anticancer properties, there has been no scientific evidence of its usage for the treatment of cancer. This study aims to investigate the anti-proliferative and genotoxic activities of H. petiolare methanol extract. The cytotoxic effect and cell cycle analysis of mouse melanoma cells (B16F10) and human melanoma cells (MeWo) were assessed using the ImageXpress Micro XLS Widefield High-Content Analysis System. The genotoxic potential of the extract towards Vero cells was also assessed using the micronucleus assay. The extract displayed cytotoxicity towards B16F10 and MeWo skin melanoma cells, thereby showing a dose-dependent decrease in cell density. This was preceded by cell cycle arrest in B16F10 cells at the S phase and MeWo cell arrest at the early M phase with a significant increase in apoptosis in both cells. Furthermore, the extract displayed genotoxic potential at the tested concentrations (12.5–200 μg/mL). Overall, the results revealed that H. petiolare extract may have the potential to eradicate skin cancer.

Eucalyptus globulus Labill. decoction extract inhibits the growth of NCI-H460 cells by increasing the p53 levels and altering the cell cycle profile

Eucalyptus globulus Labill. is a widespread evergreen plant belonging to the Myrtaceae family. Several species of Eucalyptus are known to have a plethora of medicinal properties, particularly anti-tumor activity, which prompts the study of the chemical composition and bioactivity of extracts from this plant. Hereby, the main aims of this work were to (i) profile the phenolic compounds in E. globulus extracts prepared by decoction and infusion; (ii) test the cell growth inhibitory activity of E. globulus decoction and infusion, in three human tumor cell line models: colorectal, pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer (HCT-15, PANC-1 and NCI-H460, respectively); and (iii) study the mechanism of action of the most potent extract in the most sensitive cell line. Our work demonstrated that both the decoction and infusion preparations revealed the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids and gallotannins, the last group being the most abundant polyphenols found, especially two digalloyl-glucosides. Both extracts inhibited the growth of all the tumor cell lines tested. The decoction extract was the most potent in inhibiting the NCI-H460 cell growth (lower GI50 determined by sulforhodamine B assay), which could be due to its higher content of phenolic compounds. Hence, the effect of the decoction extract on the NCI-H460 cells was further investigated. For this, cell viability (by Trypan blue exclusion assay), the cell cycle profile and apoptosis (by flow cytometry), cell proliferation (by bromodeoxyuridine assay) and protein expression (by western blot) were analyzed. Two different concentrations of the extract (52 μg mL-1 and 104 μg mL-1, corresponding to GI50 and 2 × GI50 concentration) were tested in these studies. Remarkably, the E. globulus decoction extract caused a dose-dependent decrease in the NCI-H460 cell number, which was correlated with a cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase, a decrease in cell proliferation and an increase in the expression of p53, p21 and cyclin D1 proteins. Interestingly, no differences were found in the levels of ds-DNA damage and in the levels of apoptosis. This work highlights the relevance of the Eucalyptus globulus Labill. extract as a source of bioactive compounds with potential anti-tumor activity.

Cell Cycle Inhibition of Ethylacetate Fraction of Zanthoxylum Acanthopodium DC. Fruit against T47D Cells

BACKGROUND:

The use of medicinal plants is increasing in several decades for relief many diseases. Indonesia consists of thousands of islands with various plants and the manners of the community using plants as a treatment for every disease traditionally.

AIM:

Cytotoxic activity of ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium fruit was tested towards T47D breast cancer cells.

METHODS:

The in vitro cytotoxic activity was performed by MTT assay, and the result was expressed as the IC50 (Inhibitory Concentration), and cell cycle inhibition was investigated by flow cytometry to assess the inhibition in every phase of cell cycle, and the role of expression cyclin D1 and p53 in cell cycle inhibition were performed by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTS:

EAF was showed to have high activity with a value of IC₅₀ 48.94 ± 0.32 µg/mL. EAF of 25 µg/mL caused cell accumulation at G0/G1 (60.48%) and in a control cell (51.69%) and decreased expression of cyclin D1 and increased expression of p53.

CONCLUSION:

The results obtained in this study provided scientific support for further investigation on compounds in Z. acanthopodium fruit which in the future could be used for medication.

Melissa officinalis L. ethanolic extract inhibits the growth of a lung cancer cell line by interfering with the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis

Melissa officinalis is a plant from the family Lamiaceae, native in Europe particularly in the Mediterranean region. Given our interest in identifying extracts and compounds capable of inhibiting tumor cell growth, and given the antioxidant content and the high consumption of Melissa officinalis in Portugal, this study aimed to test the tumor cell growth inhibitory activity of five different extracts of this plant (aqueous, methanolic, ethanolic, hydromethanolic and hydroethanolic) in three human tumor cell lines: MCF-7, AGS and NCI-H460. All extracts decreased cell growth in all cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. The ethanolic extract was the most potent one, presenting a GI50 concentration of approximately 100.9 μg mL-1 in the NCI-H460 lung cancer cells. This extract was characterized by LC-DAD-ESI/MS regarding its phenolic composition, revealing rosmarinic acid as the most abundant compound. The GI75 concentration of this extract affected the cell cycle profile of these cells. In addition, both the GI50 and the GI75 concentrations of the extract induced cellular apoptosis. Moreover, treatment of NCI-H460 cells with this extract caused a decrease in pro-caspase 3 and an increase in p53 levels. This study emphasizes the relevance of the study of natural products as inhibitors of tumor cell growth.

In vitro studies of the anticancer action of Tectaria cicutaria in human cancer cell lines: G0/G1 p53-associated cell cycle arrest-Part I

Objective

The rhizome of Tectaria cicutaria has been used in Indian traditional medicine for the treatment of various disorders. The objective of present investigation is to screen various extracts of the rhizomes of Tectaria cicutaria for anti-cancer activity and to investigate the mechanism involved.

Materials and methods

The rhizomes of Tectaria cicutaria were extracted with different solvents. In vitro anti-cancer activity of different rhizome extracts were studied in Human cancer Cell Lines using Sulphorodamine B (SRB) colorimetric cytotoxicity assay. The effect of ethanolic extract (TCe) on cell growth inhibition, modulation in gene expression, and induction of apoptosis using the K562 human leukemia cell line were studied. The extract was analyzed by GC-MS to identify their major chemical compounds.

Results

TCe shows antioxidant potential in both DPPH scavenging assay and reducing capacity. Flow cytometric analysis showed that 11 μg/ml of TCe arrested cell cycle progression at the G₀/G₁ phase. In the TCe treated K562 cells, the mRNA and protein expression level of p53 was strongly up-regulated in reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, its downstream target p21 level was also increased. The GC-MS study has depicted results with the presence of twelve different compounds which will require significant further efforts for structure and putative identification.

Conclusion

The present work has for the first time, tried to elucidate the anti leukemic potential of Tectaria cicutaria. TCe was more potent in K562 cells, altering the cell cycle progression and inducing apoptosis.