Transcriptome analysis of phycocyanin inhibitory effects on SKOV-3 cell proliferation

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Quinoa Polysaccharides Inhibiting 3T3-L1 Preadipocyte Proliferation

Quinoa is a highly nutritious and biologically active crop. Prior studies have demonstrated that quinoa polysaccharides exhibit anti-obesity activity. This investigation confirmed that quinoa polysaccharides have the ability to inhibit the growth of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The objective of transcriptome research was to investigate the mechanism of quinoa water-extracted polysaccharides and quinoa alkaline-extracted polysaccharides that hinder the growth of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. There were 2194 genes that showed differential expression between untreated cells and those treated with high concentrations of quinoa water-extracted polysaccharides (QWPHs). There were 1774 genes that showed differential expression between untreated cells and those treated with high concentrations of quinoa alkaline-extracted polysaccharides (QAPHs). Through gene ontology and KEGG pathway analysis, 20 characteristic pathways are found significantly enriched between the untreated group and the QAPH and QWPH groups. These pathways include the NOD-like receptor, Hepatitis C, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Atp13A4 and Gbgt1 have been identified as genes that are upregulated and downregulated in both the untreated group and the QWPH group, as well as in the untreated group and the QAPH group. These findings establish a theoretical foundation for exploring quinoa polysaccharides as an anti-obesity agent.

Expression of housekeeping genes varies depending on mevalonate pathway inhibition in cancer cells

Statins have anticancer effects and may be used as anticancer agents via drug repositioning. In reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays, the internal reference gene must not be affected by any experimental conditions. As statins exert a wide range of effects on cells by inhibiting the mevalonate pathway, it is possible that statin treatment might alter the expression of housekeeping genes used as internal reference genes, thereby misleading the assessment of obtained gene expression data. Here, we evaluated the expression stability of internal reference genes in atorvastatin-treated cancer cell lines. We treated both statin-sensitive and statin-resistant cancer cell lines with atorvastatin at seven different concentrations and performed RT-qPCR on 15 housekeeping genes whose expression stability was then assessed using five different algorithms. In both statin-sensitive and statin-resistant cancer cell lines, atorvastatin affected the expression of certain internal reference genes in a dose-dependent and cancer cell line-dependent manner; therefore, caution should be exercised when comparing target gene expression between cells. Our findings emphasize the importance of the validation of internal reference genes in gene expression analyses in drug treatment-based cancer research.

Total mRNA and primary human myoblasts' in vitro cell cycle progression distinguishes between clones

Satellite cells are generally quiescent in vivo. Once activated, progression through the cell cycle begins. Immortalised myoblasts from a single cell line are fairly homogenous in culture, but primary human myoblasts (PHMs) demonstrate heterogeneity. This phenomenon is poorly understood however may impact on PHM expansion. This study aimed to evaluate cell cycle transition from growth to synthesis phases of the cell cycle (G1 to S phase) and total mRNA relevant to this transition in PHM clones derived from 2 donor biopsies. Proportions of cells transitioning from G1 to S phase were evaluated at 2-hourly intervals for 24 h (n = 3 for each) and total mRNA quantified. Both PHM clones revealed an exponential transition from G1 to S phase over time, with a significantly slower rate for PHMs from S9.1 compared to S6.3, which had a higher proportion of PHMs in S phase for most time-points (p < 0.05). After 24 h the proportion of PHMs in S phase was ∼13% (S6.3) compared to ∼22% (S9.1). Gene transcription increased as cells progressed from G1 to S phase. Although total RNA increased with similar linearity in both clones, S6.3 PHMs had consistently (10 out of 12 time points) significantly higher concentrations. Validating the 2-hourly assessment over 24 h, a 4-hourly assessment from 8 to 32 h revealed similar differences but included the beginning of a plateau. This study demonstrates that PHMs from different donors differ in both cell cycle progression and overall transcriptome revealing new aspects in the heterogeneity of isolated satellite cells in vitro.

NTF3 Correlates With Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: The potential role of Neurotrophic factor-3(NTF3) in liver cancer is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to explore the clinical value of NTF3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We used a variety of databases to analyze the expression, relationship with prognosis and immune significance of NTF3 in liver cancer through bioinformatics.

Results: NTF3 was low expressed in HCC and was an independent prognostic factor in patients with HCC. CIBERSORT analysis indicated that NTF3 expression was positively correlated with CD4+ cells, mast cells, NK cells, macrophages and B cells in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we found that NTF3 expression was negatively correlated with the immune checkpoints PD-L1, TIGIT and TIM-3. Functional network analysis revealed that NTF3 regulates HCC progression through a variety of cancer-related kinases, transcription factors and signaling pathways.

Conclusions: We demonstrate that NTF3 correlates with prognosis and immune infiltration in HCC.

Phycobiliprotein as fluorescent probe and photosensitizer: A systematic review

Phycobiliprotein is a natural product with many biological activities in various seaweeds. Phycobiliproteins have been widely used for anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing activities as a functional factor. Phycobiliproteins with high purity are considerably more expensive than common. To provide with a systematic, deep and detailed information about those features of phycobiliproteins, we performed a relatively comprehensive analysis on structural composition, the application of phycobiliproteins in the fields of fluorescent probe and photodynamic therapy in this report.

da Silva G, Silva ALFD, Lima LRAD, Bezerra RP, Marques DDAV. Bioactive Compounds of Arthrospira spp. (Spirulina) with Potential Anticancer Activities: A Systematic Review

Arthrospira, a genus of blue-green cyanobacteria, is known for its great biological activity due to the presence of a large number of substances that are potentially active against tumor cells. This review aimed to evaluate the potential of Arthrospira spp. for the treatment or reduction of several types of cancer, in addition to elucidating the mechanism of action by which their compounds act on tumor cells. A systematic review was carried out in PubMed, Science Direct, LILACS, and SciELO databases, including original studies from 2009 to 2020. A total of 1306 articles were independently assessed according to the eligibility criteria, of which 20 articles were selected and assessed for the risk of bias using seven criteria developed by the authors. Arthrospira spp. of cyanobacteria have been evaluated against eight different types of cancer, mainly colon cancer. Among all the compounds, phycocyanin was the most used, followed by peptides and photosensitizers. In general, compounds from Arthrospira spp. act as anticancer agents by inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells, triggering cell cycle arrest, and inducing apoptosis via different signaling pathways. In addition, these compounds also exhibited antioxidant, antiangiogenic, and antimetastatic activities. Phycocyanin demonstrated better efficacy against several types of cancer via different activities and therapeutic targets. Furthermore, it was the only molecule that functioned in synergy with other drugs that are already well established for the treatment of cancer.

Symbioses of Cyanobacteria in Marine Environments: Ecological Insights and Biotechnological Perspectives

Cyanobacteria are a diversified phylum of nitrogen-fixing, photo-oxygenic bacteria able to colonize a wide array of environments. In addition to their fundamental role as diazotrophs, they produce a plethora of bioactive molecules, often as secondary metabolites, exhibiting various biological and ecological functions to be further investigated. Among all the identified species, cyanobacteria are capable to embrace symbiotic relationships in marine environments with organisms such as protozoans, macroalgae, seagrasses, and sponges, up to ascidians and other invertebrates. These symbioses have been demonstrated to dramatically change the cyanobacteria physiology, inducing the production of usually unexpressed bioactive molecules. Indeed, metabolic changes in cyanobacteria engaged in a symbiotic relationship are triggered by an exchange of infochemicals and activate silenced pathways. Drug discovery studies demonstrated that those molecules have interesting biotechnological perspectives. In this review, we explore the cyanobacterial symbioses in marine environments, considering them not only as diazotrophs but taking into consideration exchanges of infochemicals as well and emphasizing both the chemical ecology of relationship and the candidate biotechnological value for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

Phycocyanin from Arthrospira platensis as Potential Anti-Cancer Drug: Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

The application of cytostatic drugs or natural substances to inhibit cancer growth and progression is an important and evolving subject of cancer research. There has been a surge of interest in marine bioresources, particularly algae, as well as cyanobacteria and their bioactive ingredients. Dried biomass products of Arthrospira and Chlorella have been categorized as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Of particular importance is an ingredient of Arthrospira: phycocyanin, a blue-red fluorescent, water-soluble and non-toxic biliprotein pigment. It is reported to be the main active ingredient of Arthrospira and was shown to have therapeutic properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory and anti-cancer activities. In the present review, in vitro and in vivo data on the effects of phycocyanin on various tumor cells and on cells from healthy tissues are summarized. The existing knowledge of underlying molecular mechanisms, and strategies to improve the efficiency of potential phycocyanin-based anti-cancer therapies are discussed.

A thermophilic C-phycocyanin with unprecedented biophysical and biochemical properties

C-phycoyanins are abundant light-harvesting pigments which have an important role in the energy transfer cascade of photosystems in prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic red algae. These proteins have important biotechnological applications, since they can be used in food, cosmetics, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical industries and in biomedical research. Here, C-phycocyanin from the extremophilic red alga Galdieria phlegrea (GpPC) has been purified and characterized from a biophysical point of view by SDS-PAGE, mass spectrometry, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism and intrinsic fluorescence. Stability against pH variations, addition of the oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide and the effects of temperature have been also investigated, together with its in cell antioxidant potential and antitumor activity. GpPC is stable under different pHs and unfolds at a temperature higher than 80 °C within the pH range 5.0-7.0. Its fluorescence spectra present a maximum at 650 nm, when excited at 589 nm. The protein exerts interesting in cell antioxidant properties even after high temperature treatments, like the pasteurization process, and is cytotoxic for A431 and SVT2 cancer cells, whereas it is not toxic for non-malignant cells. Our results assist in the development of C-phycocyanin as a multitasking protein, to be used in the food industry, as antioxidant and anticancer agent.

C-Phycocyanin elicited antitumor efficacy via cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, and invasion inhibition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives: Mounting evidence has demonstrated that C-Phycocyanin (C-PC) exhibits marked antitumor activity in a wide type of tumors, such as pancreas cancer, breast carcinoma, lung cancer, and colon cancer. The current study aimed to confirm the antitumor efficacy of C-PC in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: The efficacy of C-PC was evaluated against the proliferation of ESCC cell lines EC9706 and EC1 by CCK-8 kit and in a mice model of ESCC EC9706. Cell cycle and apoptosis were investigated by flow cytometry, and cell invasion was determined via transwell chamber. Protein expression was examined by Western blots. Results: We found that C-PC exhibited anti-proliferation ability in a time-dependent manner and a dose-dependent manner in ESCC EC9706 and EC1 cells. Besides, C-PC markedly arrested cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase, induced cell apoptosis and suppressed cell invasion ability in both EC9706 and EC1 cells (p < .01). Notably, C-PC evoked the elevations of Bax, PARP, and cleaved-caspase-3 protein, but reduced cyclin D1, CDK4, Bcl-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression levels. Further investigation from in vivo experiment revealed that C-PC displayed significant antitumor efficacy in the xenografted EC9706 model. Conclusions: Our data presented herein suggest C-PC exerts antitumor efficacy in ESCC.

Development of a novel method for the purification of C-phycocyanin pigment from a local cyanobacterial strain Limnothrix sp. NS01 and evaluation of its anticancer properties

C-phycocyanin (C-PC) pigment, as a natural blue dye, has particular applications in various fields. It is a water-soluble protein which has anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we introduce an efficient procedure for the purification of C-PC pigment, followed by conducting a comprehensive investigation of its cytotoxic effects on human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells and the underlying mechanisms. A novel four-step purification procedure including the adsorption of impurities with chitosan, activated charcoal, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and ion exchange chromatography was employed, achieving a high purity form of C-PC with purity index (PI) of 5.26. SDS-PAGE analysis showed the purified C-PC with two discrete bands, subunit α (17 kD) and β (20 kD), as confirmed its identity by Native-PAGE. A highly purified C-PC was employed to evaluate its anticancer activity and underlying molecular mechanisms of action. The inhibitory effects of highly purified C-PC on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) have detected by MTT assay. The IC50 values for 24, 48, and 72 hours of exposure to C-PC were determined to be 5.92, 5.66, and 4.52 μg/μl, respectively. Flow cytometric analysis of cells treated with C-PC, by Annexin V/PI double staining, demonstrated to induce MCF-7 cells apoptosis. Also, the results obtained from propidium iodide (PI) staining showed that MCF-7 cells treated with 5.92 μg/μl C-PC for 24 h would arrest at the G2 phase and 5.66 and 4.52 μg/μl C-PC for 48 and 72 h could induce cell cycle arrest at both G2 and S phases. The oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction were evaluated to determine the possible pathways involved in C-PC-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Our findings clearly indicated that the treatment of MCF-7 cells with C-PC (IC50 for 24 h) increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Consequently, an increase in the lipid peroxidation (LPO) level and a reduction in the ATP level, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), glutathione (GSH) and its oxidized form (GSSG), occurred over time. The reduced expression levels of anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl2 and Stat3, plus cell cycle regulator protein, Cyclin D1, using Real-Time PCR confirm that the C-PC-induced death of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells occurred through the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Collectively, the analyses presented here suggest that C-PC has the potential so that to develop it as a chemotherapeutic anticancer drug.

C-Phycocyanin Suppresses the In Vitro Proliferation and Migration of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells through Reduction of RIPK1/NF-κB Activity

Phycocyanin, derived from Spirulina platensis, is a type of natural antineoplastic marine protein. It is known that phycocyanin exerts anticancer effects on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, but its underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. Herein, the antitumor function and regulatory mechanism of phycocyanin were investigated in three NSCLC cell lines for the first time: H358, H1650, and LTEP-a2. Cell phenotype experiments suggested that phycocyanin could suppress the survival rate, proliferation, colony formation, and migration abilities, as well as induce apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Subsequently, transcriptome analysis revealed that receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) was significantly down-regulated by phycocyanin in the LTEP-a2 cell, which was further validated by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis in two other cell lines. Interestingly, similar to phycocyanin-treated assays, siRNA knockdown of RIPK1 expression also resulted in growth and migration inhibition of NSCLC cells. Moreover, the activity of NF-κB signaling was also suppressed after silencing RIPK1 expression, indicating that phycocyanin exerted anti-proliferative and anti-migratory function through down-regulating RIPK1/NF-κB activity in NSCLC cells. This study proposes a mechanism of action for phycocyanin involving both NSCLC apoptosis and down regulation of NSCLC genes.

Transcriptome Analysis of Phycocyanin-Mediated Inhibitory Functions on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer A549 Cell Growth

Phycocyanin (PC), derived from cyanobacteria and Spirulina cells, is a type of natural antineoplastic marine protein. It has been reported that phycocyanin exerts an antitumor function in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, but the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. In this research, a transcriptome study was performed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of phycocyanin on human NSCLC A549 cells. The survival rate and proliferation ability of A549 cells were markedly reduced by phycocyanin, along with abnormal morphologic changes. The transcriptome analysis showed that 2970 genes were differentially expressed after phycocyanin treatment in A549 cells, including 1431 down-regulated and 1539 up-regulated genes. Gene ontology and KEGG analysis suggested that some classical pathways, such as Wnt, NF-κB, and PI3K-AKT signaling, were significantly enriched. Strikingly, protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis showed that ubiquitin-C (UBC) occupied the highest degree (the highest number of interactions) in differential genes, indicating that it might play a key role in the phycocyanin-mediated regulatory process in A549 cells. Moreover, qRT-PCR results showed consistent expression trends of differential genes with transcriptome analysis. Consequently, this study has provided a theoretical basis for regulation of phycocyanin in A549 cells, which lays a foundation for the treatment of NSCLC.

Phycocyanin Reduces Proliferation of Melanoma Cells through Downregulating GRB2/ERK Signaling

As a type of functional food additive, phycocyanin is shown to have a potential antineoplastic property. However, its underlying anticancer mechanism in melanoma cells remains unknown. We previously reported a 35S in vivo/vitro labeling analysis for dynamic proteomic (SiLAD) technology. It could exclusively detect protein synthesis rates via pulse labeling of newly expressed proteins by 35S, providing a high time-resolution method for analysis of protein variations. In the present study, we performed a time course analysis in A375 melanoma cells after phycocyanin treatment using SiLAD. Protein expression velocities were specifically visualized and their regulation modes were dynamically traced. Strikingly, novel protein synthesis patterns were discovered in the early phase of phycocyanin treatment, suggesting a possible mechanism of phycocyanin regulation. Furthermore, network analysis and phenotype experiments demonstrated that GRB2-ERK1/2 pathway was involved in phycocyanin-mediated regulation process and responsible for the proliferation suppression of melanoma cell, which could be a therapeutic target for malignant melanoma.

The In Vitro Anti-Tumor Activity of Phycocyanin against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Phycocyanin, a type of functional food colorant, is shown to have a potent anti-cancer property. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most aggressive form of cancers with few effective therapeutic options. Previous studies have demonstrated that phycocyanin exerts a growth inhibitory effect on NSCLC A549 cells. However, its biological function and underlying regulatory mechanism on other cells still remain unknown. Here, we investigated the in vitro function of phycocyanin on three typical NSCLC cell lines, NCI-H1299, NCI-H460, and LTEP-A2, for the first time. The results showed that phycocyanin could significantly induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, as well as suppress cell migration, proliferation, and the colony formation ability of NSCLC cells through regulating multiple key genes. Strikingly, phycocyanin was discovered to affect the cell phenotype through regulating the NF-κB signaling of NSCLC cells. Our findings demonstrated the anti-neoplastic function of phycocyanin and provided valuable information for the regulation of phycocyanin in NSCLC cells.

Enhancing growth-relevant metabolic pathways of Arthrospira platensis (CYA-1) with gamma irradiation from 60Co

The biomass yield of Arthrospira mutant ZJU9000 was 176% higher than that of wild type on day 4, and the results of transcriptome sequencing showed that processes related to cell growth were synergistically enhanced in this mutant. The amount of energy for biomass accumulation increased because the efficiency of the photoreaction was enhanced by the elevated levels of chlorophyll a and carotene. The increased biosynthesis rates of ribose phosphate, nucleotides and multiple vitamins increased the production of genetic materials for cell proliferation. Furthermore, the carbon concentration mechanism in mutant ZJU9000 was enhanced, indicating the increased utilization efficiency of CO₂ at low concentration (0.04 vol% in air). The enhancement of these growth-relevant metabolic pathways contributed to the robust growth of Arthrospira mutant ZJU9000.

Growth-relevant metabolic pathways of Arthrospira enhanced after gamma irradiation.

Phycocyanin: A Potential Drug for Cancer Treatment

Phycocyanin isolated from marine organisms has the characteristics of high efficiency and low toxicity, and it can be used as a functional food. It has been reported that phycocyanin has anti-oxidative function, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-cancer function, immune enhancement function, liver and kidney protection pharmacological effects. Thus, phycocyanin has an important development and utilization as a potential drug, and phycocyanin has become a new hot spot in the field of drug research. So far, there are more and more studies have shown that phycocyanin has the anti-cancer effect, which can block the proliferation of cancer cells and kill cancer cells. Phycocyanin exerts anti-cancer activity by blocking tumor cell cell cycle, inducing tumor cell apoptosis and autophagy, thereby phycocyanin can serve as a promising anti-cancer agent. This review discusses the therapeutic use of phycocyanin and focuses on the latest advances of phycocyanin as a promising anti-cancer drug.

Study of the Effects of Betaine and/or C-Phycocyanin on the Growth of Lung Cancer A549 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

We investigated the effects of betaine, C-phycocyanin (C-PC), and their combined use on the growth of A549 lung cancer both in vitro and in vivo. When cells were coincubated with betaine and C-PC, an up to 60% decrease in viability was observed which is significant compared to betaine (50%) or C-PC treatment alone (no decrease). Combined treatment reduced the stimulation of NF-κB expression by TNF-α and increased the amount of the proapoptotic p38 MAPK. Interestingly, combined treatment induced a cell cycle arrest in G₂/M phase for ~60% of cells. In vivo studies were performed in pathogen-free male nude rats injected with A549 cells in their right flank. Their daily food was supplemented with either betaine, C-PC, both, or neither. Compared to the control group, tumour weights and volumes were significantly reduced in either betaine- or C-PC-treated groups and no additional decrease was obtained with the combined treatment. This data indicates that C-PC and betaine alone may efficiently inhibit tumour growth in rats. The synergistic activity of betaine and C-PC on A549 cells growth observed in vitro remains to be further confirmed in vivo. The reason behind the nature of their interaction is yet to be sought.