Exploring bioactive properties of marine cyanobacteria isolated from the Portuguese coast: high potential as a source of anticancer compounds.

Abstract

The oceans remain a major source of natural compounds with potential in pharmacology. In particular, during the last few decades, marine cyanobacteria have been in focus as producers of interesting bioactive compounds, especially for the treatment of cancer. In this study, the anticancer potential of extracts from twenty eight marine cyanobacteria strains, belonging to the underexplored picoplanktonic genera, Cyanobium, Synechocystis and Synechococcus, and the filamentous genera, Nodosilinea, Leptolyngbya, Pseudanabaena and Romeria, were assessed in eight human tumor cell lines. First, a crude extract was obtained by dichloromethane:methanol extraction, and from it, three fractions were separated in a Si column chromatography. The crude extract and fractions were tested in eight human cancer cell lines for cell viability/toxicity, accessed with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactic dehydrogenase release (LDH) assays. Eight point nine percent of the strains revealed strong cytotoxicity; 17.8% showed moderate cytotoxicity, and 14.3% assays showed low toxicity. The results obtained revealed that the studied genera of marine cyanobacteria are a promising source of novel compounds with potential anticancer activity and highlight the interest in also exploring the smaller filamentous and picoplanktonic genera of cyanobacteria.

• Authors: Margarida Costa, Mónica Garcia, João Costa-Rodrigues, Maria Sofia Costa, Maria João Ribeiro, Maria Helena Fernandes, Piedade Barros, Aldo Barreiro, Vitor Vasconcelos, Rosário Martins
• Journal: Marine drugs (Mar Drugs) Vol. 12 Issue 1 Pg. 98-114 (Dec 31 2013) ISSN: 1660-3397 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 24384871 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Biological Products
• Coloring Agents
• Marine Toxins
• Tetrazolium Salts
• Thiazoles
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
• thiazolyl blue

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Atlantic Ocean
• Biological Products (isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Coloring Agents
• Cyanobacteria (chemistry, classification)
• Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
• Humans
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase (chemistry)
• Marine Toxins
• Portugal
• Species Specificity
• Tetrazolium Salts
• Thiazoles