In vitro anti-tumoral and immunomodulatory effects of acidic polysaccharides isolated from the fungus Gloeosoma mirabile.

Polysaccharides from wood-rooting fungi have attracted attention due to their broad pharmacological properties. Herein, we report the antitumor and immunomodulatory activities of acid polysaccharides isolated from fungi Gloeosoma mirabile. The polysaccharide extracts displayed significant antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines (MCF-7, HCT-116, U-937) in a dose-dependent manner and induction of IL-6 in macrophage RAW 264.7. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis showed that high polysaccharide concentrations induced apoptosis by 83% in HL-60 cells. Based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy studies, acidic polysaccharides from G. mirabile were mainly composed of arabinose, α-D-galactopyranose and methyl ß-D-galactopyranoside.

Characterization and Biological Activities of the Ulvan Polysaccharide-Rich Fraction Obtained from Ulva rigida and Ulva pseudorotundata and Their Potential for Pharmaceutical Application.

Seaweed from the genus Ulva (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) has a worldwide distribution and represents a potential biomass source for biotechnological applications. In the present study, we investigated the ulvan polysaccharide-rich fraction (UPRF) isolated from two Ulva species (U. rigida and U. pseudorotundata), naturally occurring on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Chemical characterization of UPRFs was performed in order to explore the polysaccharides' composition. Biological assessments of UPRFs were compared by antioxidant activity and in vitro toxicity tests in the human cell lines: HCT-116 (colon cancer), G-361 (malignant melanoma), U-937 (leukemia), and HaCaT cells (immortalized keratinocytes). Chemical analysis revealed that both UPRFs presented rhamnose as the major relative sugar constituent, followed by glucose in U. rigida and xylose in U. pseudorotundata. Both also presented glucuronic acid, galactose, ribose, and mannose as the remaining monosaccharides. Similar antioxidant activity was obtained, where we observed increased activity in response to increased polysaccharide concentrations. Both UPRFs presented moderate toxicity against HCT-116 cell lines and a selectivity index ≥ 3, suggesting a good potential for use in pharmaceutical products.

Combined Dietary Administration of Chlorella fusca and Ethanol-Inactivated Vibrio proteolyticus Modulates Intestinal Microbiota and Gene Expression in Chelon labrosus.

The use of functional feeds in aquaculture is currently increasing. This study aimed to assess the combined impact of dietary green microalgae Chlorella fusca and ethanol-inactivated Vibrio proteolyticus DCF12.2 (CVP diet) on thick-lipped grey mullet (Chelon labrosus) juvenile fish. The effects on intestinal microbiota and the transcription of genes related to metabolism, stress, and the immune system were investigated after 90 days of feeding. Additionally, the fish were challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) to evaluate the immune response. Microbiota analysis revealed no significant differences in alpha and beta diversity between the anterior and posterior intestinal sections of fish fed the control (CT) and CVP diets. The dominant genera varied between the groups; Pseudomonas and Brevinema were most abundant in the CVP group, whereas Brevinema, Cetobacterium, and Pseudomonas were predominant in the CT group. However, microbial functionality remained unaltered. Gene expression analysis indicated notable changes in hif3α, mhcII, abcb1, mx, and tnfα genes in different fish organs on the CVP diet. In the head kidney, gene expression variations were observed following challenges with A. hydrophila or poly I:C, with higher peak values seen in fish injected with poly I:C. Moreover, c3 mRNA levels were significantly up-regulated in the CVP group 72 h post-A. hydrophila challenge. To conclude, incorporating C. fusca with V. proteolyticus in C. labrosus diet affected the microbial species composition in the intestine while preserving its functionality. In terms of gene expression, the combined diet effectively regulated the transcription of stress and immune-related genes, suggesting potential enhancement of fish resistance against stress and infections.

In Vitro and In Vivo Effects of Ulvan Polysaccharides from Ulva rigida.

One of the main bioactive compounds of interest from the Ulva species is the sulfated polysaccharide ulvan, which has recently attracted attention for its anticancer properties. This study investigated the cytotoxic activity of ulvan polysaccharides obtained from Ulva rigida in the following scenarios: (i) in vitro against healthy and carcinogenic cell lines (1064sk (human fibroblasts), HACAT (immortalized human keratinocytes), U-937 (a human leukemia cell line), G-361 (a human malignant melanoma), and HCT-116 (a colon cancer cell line)) and (ii) in vivo against zebrafish embryos. Ulvan exhibited cytotoxic effects on the three human cancer cell lines tested. However, only HCT-116 demonstrated sufficient sensitivity to this ulvan to make it relevant as a potential anticancer treatment, presenting an LC50 of 0.1 mg mL-1. The in vivo assay on the zebrafish embryos showed a linear relationship between the polysaccharide concentration and growth retardation at 7.8 hpf mL mg-1, with an LC50 of about 5.2 mg mL-1 at 48 hpf. At concentrations near the LC50, toxic effects, such as pericardial edema or chorion lysis, could be found in the experimental larvae. Our in vitro study supports the potential use of polysaccharides extracted from U. rigida as candidates for treating human colon cancer. However, the in vivo assay on zebrafish indicated that the potential use of ulvan as a promising, safe compound should be limited to specific concentrations below 0.001 mg mL-1 since it revealed side effects on the embryonic growth rate and osmolar balance.

Dietary Effects of a Short-Term Administration of Microalgae Blend on Growth Performance, Tissue Fatty Acids, and Predominant Intestinal Microbiota in Sparus aurata.

Given the potential of microalgae as new aquafeed ingredients, this study focuses on using a blend of microalgae, Tisochrysis lutea, Nannochloropsis gaditana, and Scenedesmus almeriensis, as a dietary ingredient for feeding Sparus aurata juveniles. The growth performance, carcass composition, tissue fatty acid profile, and intestinal microbiota were evaluated after a 30 day-feeding period. A microalgae-free diet was used as control, and three experimental diets were formulated containing 5%, 15%, and 25% of the microalgae blend (MB-5%, MB-15%, and MB-25%, respectively). After 7, 15, and 30 days of feeding experimental diets, biological samples were taken. Growth performance and nutrient utilization were not significantly modified at the end of the experiment. Microalgae inclusion tended to decrease body lipids and affected the fatty acid profile, especially MB-25 diet increased DHA levels. Diet MB-25 promoted appropriate microbial diversity, favoring the presence of probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, and significantly influencing the fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism in fish. In conclusion, using a short pulse of dietary administration of 25% microalgal blend in S. aurata modulates the intestinal microbiota and lipid composition while maintaining growth performance.

Evaluation of the Combined Administration of Chlorella fusca and Vibrio proteolyticus in Diets for Chelon labrosus: Effects on Growth, Metabolism, and Digestive Functionality.

This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of dietary Chlorella fusca and ethanol-inactivated Vibrio proteolyticus DCF12.2 (C + V diet) in Chelon labrosus juveniles, highlighting their nutritional, physiological, and morphological effects. The results showed that the combined dietary inclusion of C. fusca and V. proteolyticus significantly enhanced growth performance and feed utilization compared to the control group. The C + V diet increased the fish lipid quality index (FLQ), n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and n-3/n-6 ratio, which might be beneficial in terms of human nutrition. The C + V diet considerably increased carbohydrate metabolic activity by statistically boosting plasma glucose. The dietary inclusion of C. fusca in conjunction with V. proteolyticus increased metabolic enzyme activity as well as intestinal absorption capacity compared to that found in the control group. In conclusion, the experimental diet was suitable for feeding C. labrosus, increasing their growth and the nutritional characteristics of the muscle and intestine, without causing tissue damage.

In vitro cytotoxic capacity against tumor cell lines and antioxidant activity of acidic polysaccharides isolated from the Andean Patagonian fungus Phylloporia boldo.

Fungal polysaccharides possess a broad biological activity, including cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. This work aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of the acidic polysaccharides of Phylloporia boldo strain (named PBAP40). Cytotoxic activity of polysaccharide was evaluated determining the viability of three tumor cell lines by MTT assay. The effect of acidic polysaccharide on the cell cycle of HL-60 cell line was evaluated by flow cytometry, and the antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH and ABTS assays. PBAP40 showed cytotoxic effects in tumor cell lines. Results suggest that P. boldo acidic polysaccharides arrested tumor cells in the cell cycle Sub G1 phase. The acidic polysaccharides of PBAP40 strain were not cytotoxic for the non-tumor cell line. PBAP40 also showed excellent antioxidant activity. The FT-IR analysis of the acidic polysaccharides indicated the presence of glucans bearing α- and ß- type glycosidic bonds.

Antioxidant, Immunomodulatory and Potential Anticancer Capacity of Polysaccharides (Glucans) from Euglena gracilis G.A. Klebs

The present study was carried out to determine the bioactivity of polysaccharides extracted from Euglena gracilis (EgPs). These were characterized by FT-IR and GC-MS. Cytotoxicity analyses (MTT) were performed on healthy human gingival fibroblast cell lines (HGF-1), obtaining an IC50 of 228.66 µg mL-1, and cell lines with anticancer activity for colon cancer (HCT-116), breast cancer (MCF-7), human leukemia (U-937, HL-60) and lung cancer (NCl-H460), showing that EgPs have anticancer activity, mainly in HTC-116 cells (IC50 = 26.1 µg mL-1). The immunological assay determined the immunomodulatory capacity of polysaccharides for the production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α in murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) and TNF-α in human monocytes (THP-1). It was observed that the EgPs had a stimulating capacity in the synthesis of these interleukins. The antioxidant capacity of polysaccharides and their biomass were analyzed using the ABTS method (18.30 ± 0.14% and (5.40 ± 0.56%, respectively, and the DPPH method for biomass (17.79 ± 0.57%). We quantitatively profiled HGF-1 proteins by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, coupled with 2-plex tandem mass tag labelling, in normal cells. In total, 1346 proteins were identified and quantified with high confidence, of which five were considered to be overexpressed. The data is available through ProteomeXchange, under identifier PXD029076.

Biorefinery Approach Applied to the Production of Food Colourants and Biostimulants from Oscillatoria sp.

In this study, a biorefinery based on Oscillatoria sp. is developed to produce high-value compounds such as C-phycocyanin, used in food colourant applications, and biostimulants, used in agriculture-related applications. First, the Oscillatoria biomass production was optimized at a pilot scale in an open raceway reactor, with biomass productivities equivalent to 52 t/ha·year being achieved using regular fertilizers as the nutrient source. The biomass produced contained 0.5% C-phycocyanins, 95% of which were obtained after freeze-thawing and extraction at pH 6.5 and ionic strength (FI) 100 mM, with a purity ratio of 0.71 achieved in the final extract. This purity ratio allows for use of the extract directly as a food colourant. Then, the extract's colourant capacity on different beverages was evaluated. The results confirm that C-phycocyanin concentrations ranging from 22 to 106 mg/L produce colours similar to commercial products, thus avoiding the need for synthetic colourants. The colour remained stable for up to 12 days. Moreover, the safety of the extracted C-phycocyanin was confirmed through toxicity tests. The waste biomass was evaluated for use as a biostimulant, with the results confirming a relevant auxin-like positive effect. Finally, an economic analysis was conducted to evaluate different scenarios. The results confirm that the production of both C-phycocyanin and biostimulants is the best scenario from an economic standpoint. Therefore, the developed biomass processing scheme provides an opportunity to expand the range of commercial applications for microalgae-related processes.

Sulfated Polysaccharide Extracted from the Green Algae Codium bernabei: Physicochemical Characterization and Antioxidant, Anticoagulant and Antitumor Activity.

Codium bernabei is a green alga that grows on Chilean coasts. The composition of its structural polysaccharides is still unknown. Hence, the aim of this work is to isolate and characterize the hot water extracted polysaccharide fractions. For this purpose, the water extracts were further precipitated in alcohol (TPs) and acid media (APs), respectively. Both fractions were characterized using different physicochemical techniques such as GC-MS, GPC, FTIR, TGA, and SEM. It is confirmed that the extracted fractions are mainly made of sulfated galactan unit, with a degree of sulfation of 19.3% (TPs) and 17.4% (ATs) and a protein content of 3.5% in APs and 15.6% in TPs. Other neutral sugars such as xylose, glucose, galactose, fucose, mannose, and arabinose were found in a molar ratio (0.05:0.6:1.0:0.02:0.14:0.11) for TPs and (0.05:0.31:1.0:0.03:0.1:0.13) for ATs. The molecular weight of the polysaccharide samples was lower than 20 kDa. Both polysaccharides were thermally stable (Tonset > 190 °C) and showed antioxidant activity according to the ABTS•+ and DPPH tests, where TPs fractions had higher scavenging activity (35%) compared to the APs fractions. The PT and APTTS assays were used to measure the anticoagulant activity of the polysaccharide fractions. In general, the PT activity of the TPs and APs was not different from normal plasma values. The exception was the TPs treatment at 1000 µg mL−1 concentration. The APTTS test revealed that clotting time for both polysaccharides was prolonged regarding normal values at 1000 µg mL−1. Finally, the antitumor test in colorectal carcinoma (HTC-116) cell line, breast cancer (MCF-7) and human leukemia (HL-60) cell lines showed the cytotoxic effect of TPs and APs. Those results suggest the potential biotechnological application of sulfate galactan polysaccharides isolated from a Chilean marine resource.

Potential of the microalgae Chlorella fusca (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) for biomass production and urban wastewater phycoremediation.

The present work focuses on: (1) the evaluation of the potential of Chlorella fusca to grow and synthesize metabolites of biotechnological interest, after being exposed for fourteen days to urban wastewater (UW) from Malaga city (UW concentrations: 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%); (2) the study of the capacity of C. fusca to bioremediate UW in photobioreactors at laboratory scale; and (3) the evaluation of the effect of UW on the physiological status of C. fusca, as photosynthetic capacity by using in vivo Chl a fluorescence related to photosystem II and the production of photosynthetic pigments. C. fusca cell density increased in treatments with 50% UW concentration, followed by the treatment with 100% UW, 75% UW, the control, and finally 25% UW. Protein content increased to 50.5% in 75% UW concentration. Stress induced to microalgal cultures favored the increase of lipid production, reaching a maximum of 16.7% in 100% UW concentration. The biological oxygen demand (BOD5) analysis indicated a 75% decrease in 100% UW concentration. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels decreased by 41% and 40% in 50% UW and 100% UW concentration, and total nitrogen (TN) decreased by 55% in 50% UW concentration. The physiological status showed the stressful effect caused by the presence of UW on photosynthetic activity, with increasing impact as UW concentration grew. In the framework of circular economy, we seek to deepen this study to use the biomass of C. fusca to obtain metabolites of interest for biofuel production and other biotechnological areas.

Cultivated and Wild Juvenile Thick-Lipped Grey Mullet, Chelon labrosus: A Comparison from a Nutritional Point of View.

The thick-lipped grey mullet (Chelon labrosus) is a nominee fish species for aquaculture diversification in Spain because it is an omnivore and euryhaline species, but limited knowledge about the nutritional attributes of this species is available. This study aimed to characterize the chemical composition of wild and cultured fish. The muscle proximate composition, and fatty acid and amino acid profiles were assessed. The cultivated specimens showed a higher lipid content and lower protein and ash contents compared with the wild specimens. The predominant tissue fatty acids in both the wild and cultivated fish were palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1n-9) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3). A higher content of arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) and DHA were detected in the muscle of wild mullets, while the fish supplied with commercial pellets showed higher quantities of monounsaturated fatty acids, and lower quantities of saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Regarding PUFAs, n-3 fatty acids were predominant in wild mullets, while n-6 and n-9 were more abundant in farmed fish. In terms of amino acid composition, except for histidine in wild specimens, the amino acid amounts were higher than the FAO/WHO standard. In conclusion, C. labrosus may contribute to improving the dietary intake of highly polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids, with a benefit to human health, owing to that fact that a 100-g fillet portion of cultivated and wild C. labrosus can provide 770 mg and 1160 mg of EPA and DHA, respectively, which exceeds the 250 mg dietary daily intake recommended by the FAO/WHO.

Immunomodulatory, Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxic Effect of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Porphyridium cruentum. (S.F.Gray) Nägeli.

Porphyridium cruentum is a unicellular microalga that can synthesize and secrete to the culture medium-high amounts of polysaccharides. In this study, the immunomodulatory, cytotoxic effect and antioxidant activity of the sulfated polysaccharides (PcSPs) were determinate. The PcSPs were precipitated with 2% Cetylpyridinium bromide hydrate and ethanol and purified by dialysis. The extract was lyophilized for its characterization by Fourier transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity of PcSPs were examined with assay 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and compared with that of the biomass, observing significant differences between the results obtained from the PcSPs and biomass. To determine their ability to induce cytokine production Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukina-6 (IL-6), the immunomodulatory activity of the PcSPs has been evaluated. In the mouse macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7), PcSPs are potent inducers of IL-6 cytokines but mainly of TNF-α. The cytotoxic capacity of PcSPs was measured by the MTT colorimetric assay in colorectal carcinoma (HTC-116), human leukemia (U-937 and HL-60), breast cancer (MCF-7), lung cancer (NCI-H460) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGF-1) cell lines. The IC50 value of 2311.20 µg mL-1, 1676.74 µg mL-1, 1089.63 µg mL-1, 5498.14 µg mL-1 and 2861.49 µg mL-1 respectively in the tumor lines and 5022.55 µg mL-1 in gingival fibroblasts were obtained. Our study suggested that PcSPs from P. cruentum have a moderate immunomodulatory and cytotoxic effect. The results obtained indicate that the polysaccharides from P. cruentum are potent inducers of IL-6 cytokines and, most importantly, of TNF-α. PcSPs showed no evidence of antigenic activity or hypersensitivity when administered intraperitoneally in mice. Furthermore, the in vivo study revealed an improvement of local inflammatory response against stress in the peritoneum. These findings suggest that the PcSPs from P. cruentum might have potential as a valuable ingredient in nutraceutical products.

Photobiological Effects on Biochemical Composition in Porphyridium cruentum (Rhodophyta) with a Biotechnological Application.

This study describes the relation of photosynthetic capacity, growth and biochemical compounds in the microalgae Porphyridium cruentum under saturated irradiance (200 µmol m-2  s-1 ) by white light (WL) and low-pressure sodium vapor lamps (SOX lamps-control) and supplemented by fluorescent lamps (FLs) with different light qualities (blue: λmax = 440 nm; green: λmax = 560 nm; and red: λmax = 660 nm). The maximum photosynthetic efficiency (Fv / Fm ) showed a positive correlation with the light quality by saturating light SOX in mixture with stimulating blue light than the white light (WL) at the harvest day (10 days). The production, that is maximal electron transport rate (ETRmax ), and energy dissipation, that is maximal nonphotochemical quenching (NPQmax ), had the same pattern throughout the time (3-6 days) being the values higher under white light (WL) compared with SOX and SOX plus supplemented different light qualities. Total protein levels increased significantly in the presence of SOX light, while phycoerythrin (B-PE) showed significant differences under SOX+ blue light. Arachidonic acid (ARA) was higher under SOX and SOX plus supplemented different light qualities than that under WL, whereas eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was the reverse. The high photomorphogenic potential by SOX light shows promising application for microalgal biotechnology.

Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Effects on Tumor Cells of Exopolysaccharides From Tetraselmis suecica (Kylin) Butcher Grown Under Autotrophic and Heterotrophic Conditions.

Marine microalgae produce extracellular metabolites such as exopolysaccharides (EPS) with potentially beneficial biological applications to human health, especially antioxidant and antitumor properties, which can be increased with changes in crop trophic conditions. This study aimed to develop the autotrophic and heterotrophic culture of Tetraselmis suecica (Kylin) Butcher in order to increase EPS production and to characterize its antioxidant activity and cytotoxic effects on tumor cells. The adaptation of autotrophic to heterotrophic culture was carried out by progressively reducing the photoperiod and adding glucose. EPS extraction and purification were performed. EPS were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The antioxidant capacity of EPS was analyzed by the 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) method, and the antitumor capacity was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, showing high activity on human leukemia, breast and lung cancer cell lines. Although total EPS showed no cytotoxicity, acidic EPS showed cytotoxicity over the gingival fibroblasts cell line. Heterotrophic culture has advantages over autotrophic, such as increasing EPS yield, higher antioxidant capacity of the EPS and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first probe that T. suecica EPS have cytotoxic effects on tumor cells; therefore, they could offer greater advantages as possible natural nutraceuticals for the pharmaceutical industry.

Características nutricionales y efecto citotóxico de polisacáridos extraídos de los digüeñes Cyttaria berteroi y Cyttaria hariotii presentes en Chile / Nutritional characteristics and cytotoxic effect of polysaccharides extracted from the digüeñes Cyttaria berteroi and Cyttaria hariotii present in Chile

RESUMEN El género Cyttaria pertenece a la familia Cyttariaceae, existen 11 especies descritas a nivel mundial. En Chile y Argentina podemos encontrar sólo siete de ellas, conocidas como "Digüeñes" del Mapudungun "diweñ", hongos parásitos obligados de árboles de Nothofagus. Este género, se distribuye naturalmente en el hemisferio sur y tiene gran importancia desde el punto de vista alimenticio. A pesar del extenso conocimiento sobre la taxonomía, ecología y composición químico-nutricional de algunas especies de Cyttaria, su potencial nutracéutico ha recobrado interés recientemente. En esta investigación, se determinó la composición químicaproximal y actividad citotóxica de los polisacáridos de C. berteroi y C. hariotii. Para caracterizar la composición nutricional de las especies de Cyttaria, se utilizó la metodología de AOAC y se avaluó el potencial citotóxico de sus polisacáridos mediante el ensayo MTT (bromuro de 3- (4,5-dimetiltiazol-2-il) -2,5-difeniltetrazolio) frente a las líneas celulares de cáncer de colon humano (HCT-116), leucemia humana (U-937) y cáncer de mama (MCF-7). Los resultados evidenciaron que C. berteroi presentó un alto contenido de proteínas y lípidos en comparación con C. hariotii. Además, los polisacáridos de C. hariotii tienen un mayor efecto citotóxico frente a la línea celular de leucemia (IC50= 2100 µg/mL), cáncer de colon (IC50= 3700 µg/mL) y cáncer de mama (IC50=9470 µg/mL). En consecuencia, se concluye que los metabolitos de C. berteroi y la actividad citotóxica en líneas tumorales de los polisacáridos de C. hariotii podrían representar una oportunidad para la obtención de un potencial producto nutracéutico.

ABSTRACT The Cyttaria genus belongs to the Cyttariaceae family, with 11 species described worldwide. In Chile and Argentina, seven of them are found. They are known as "Digüeñes", from the Mapudungun "diweñ", and are parasitic fungi of Nothofagus trees. They are naturally distributed in the southern hemisphere and are of great importance from a nutritional point of view. Despite extensive knowledge about the taxonomy, ecology, and chemical-nutritional composition of some Cyttaria species, their nutraceutical potential has recently gained interest. In this investigation, the chemical-proximal composition and cytotoxic activity of the C. berteroi and C. hariotii polysaccharides were determined. To identify the nutritional composition of the Cyttaria species, the AOAC methodology was used and the cytotoxic potential of their polysaccharides was evaluated by means of the MTT test (3- (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5 bromide-diphenyltetrazolium) against the cell lines of human colon cancer (HCT-116), human leukemia (U-937) and breast cancer (MCF-7). The results showed that C. berteroi had a high protein and lipid content compared to C. hariotii. Also, C. hariotii polysaccharides had a greater cytotoxic effect against the colon cancer cell line (IC50= 3700 µg/mL), leukemia (IC50= 2100 µg/mL) and breast cancer (IC50= 9470 µg/mL). Therefore, it is concluded that C. berteroi metabolites and cytotoxic activity in C. hariotii polysaccharide tumor lines could represent an opportunity to obtain a potential nutraceutical product.

Immunomodulatory and Antioxidant Activities of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Laminaria ochroleuca, Porphyra umbilicalis, and Gelidium corneum.

Seaweeds of the genera Laminaria, Gelidium, and Porphyra have been used in both food and non-food industries due to their unique properties and characteristic biological activity. This study assesses the antioxidant activity and immunomodulatory properties of the acidic polysaccharides extracted from Laminaria ochroleuca, Porphyra umbilicalis, and Gelidium corneum collected in the Atlantic coast of Tarifa (Cadiz, Spain). The proliferation of murine cell line RAW 264 decreased with increasing concentration of polysaccharides of the three algal species. The highest both antioxidant (25.69 µmol TE g-1 DW) and immunomodulatory activities were observed in the sulfated polysaccharides of L. ochroleuca compared to that of P. umbilicalis and G. corneum. Sulfated polysaccharides of L. ochroleuca presented high potential anticancer activity in cell lines of human colon cancer HTC-116 (IC50 = 0.44 mg mL-1), human malignant melanoma G-361 (IC50 = 5.42 mg mL-1), breast adenocarcinoma human MCF-7 (IC50 = 8.32 mg mL-1), and human leukemia U-937 (IC50 = 3.72 mg mL-1). It is concluded that metabolites of L. ochroleuca can offer significant advantages for the pharmaceutical industry, particularly when macrophage activation is required.

UV Photoprotection, Cytotoxicity and Immunology Capacity of Red Algae Extracts.

This study was designed to evaluate the potential use of algal extracts in cosmeceuticals, including factors related to biosecurity. The aqueous crude extracts of Hydropuntia cornea and Gracilariopsis longissima showed a good photoprotective capacity (Sun Protection Factor, SPF) due to, among other reasons, the presence of five types of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) detected by high pressure liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) (Palythine, Asterina-330, Shinorine, Porphyra-334, and Palythinol). The toxicity of the extracts was evaluated by the MTT assay, which is based on the metabolic reduction of MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] by the action of the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase. This assay was carried out in vitro in three cell lines: one related to the immune system (murine macrophages of the immune system: RAW264.7) and two human cell lines related to the skin (gingival fibroblasts: HGF, and immortalized human keratinocytes: HaCaT). Both extracts showed no cytotoxic activity in both types of human cells, whereas they showed cytotoxicity in murine tumor cells of the immune system (macrophages: RAW264.7). On the other hand, the immunological activity in the murine macrophage RAW264.7 was studied at a concentration lower than 100 µg mL-1 and lower than the EC50, and evaluated by the production of pro-inflammatory compounds through an immunosorbent assay linked to enzymes such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) or anti-inflammatory/proinflammatory enzymes such as interleukin-6 (IL-6). Both algae extracts induced the biosynthesis of TNF-α and IL-6. The production of TNF-α was much higher than that observed in the control (at a concentration of the aqueous extract higher than 5 µg mL-1). These results support the theory that the extracts of H. cornea and G. longissima actively induce the production of cytokines. In summary, the extracts of these species did not show cytotoxicity in human cells, and they present with immunomodulatory and photoprotection capacity.

Resource-allocation tradeoffs in caddisflies facing multiple stressors.

The replacement of native forests by exotic tree monocultures, such as those of Eucalyptus, decreases the quality of leaf litter inputs to streams and often reduces riparian cover, which can elevate water temperature. The combined effects of these stressors on the survival and performance of detritivores may be important, as detritivore species loss leads to reduced litter breakdown, a key ecosystem process. Potential loss of cased caddisfly larvae is of particular concern because they are the predominant detritivores in many streams, they are sensitive to warming, and they expend energy on building and carrying their cases, which may be an added burden under times of stress. In a microcosm experiment, we tested whether (i) poor-quality Eucalyptus globulus litter impaired case construction by larvae of Sericostoma pyrenaicum (due to preferential allocation of the scarcer available energy to larval fitness) compared to high-quality Alnus glutinosa litter; (ii) whether this effect was enhanced by higher temperatures (15 vs. 10°C) resulting in faster metabolism and greater energy expenditure; but (iii) reduced in the presence of chemical cues from a predatory fish (due to greater investment in more protective cases). We found that Eucalyptus had lethal and sublethal effects on larval caddisflies, increasing mortality, reducing growth, and impairing case construction, compared to larvae fed Alnus. Temperature did not reinforce the effects of exotic litter on case construction, but predator chemical cues triggered the construction of more protective cases (i.e., longer and better cemented) despite the lower resource quality, providing evidence for environmentally mediated resource-allocation tradeoffs.

Estudio de la actividad antioxidante y antitumoral del propóleo / Study on the antioxidant and antitumoral activity of propolis

Introducción: El propóleo es la sustancia que protege a la colmena, es una resina de composición compleja y viscosa que las abejas utilizan en la reparación y protección de la colmena. El material del que procede el propóleo son las resinas, brotes y pecíolos de las hojas de diferentes vegetales, por ello presenta una composición química muy compleja que varía en función de la flora de recolección de las abejas. Posee capacidad antimicrobiana, antiinflamatoria que está relacionada con su poder antioxidante, inmunomoduladora, entre otras. Objetivos: En este trabajo se estudian las actividades antioxidantes y antitumorales de propóleos de distintas zonas de la provincia de Málaga comparándolos con uno de la región de Bohemia al sur de la República Checa. Material y métodos: La actividad antioxidante se evaluó según el método ABTS+/S2O8K2. Además, se estimó la cantidad de proteínas totales a partir del contenido de nitrógeno y posteriormente se determinó la citotoxicidad y actividad antitumoral del propóleo del Puerto de la Torre, al norte de Málaga, según el método del bromuro de 3-(4,5-dimetiltiazol-2-il)-2,5-difenil tetrazolio. Resultados: Se observó que el propóleo presenta una elevada actividad antioxidante, aunque tiene una menor cantidad de proteínas. El propóleo presenta elevada toxicidad y mayor actividad antitumoral frente al cáncer de colon que al de leucemia. Conclusión: Con todos estos datos obtenidos se puede concluir que el propóleo presenta diferentes actividades de interés para la industria alimentaria o cosmética, entre las que destaca su elevado poder antioxidante y su capacidad como antitumoral

Introduction: Propolis is the substance that protects the hive, a resin of complex and viscous composition bees use in the repair and protection of the hive. The material from which propolis arises are the resins, shoots and petioles of the leaves of different plants, so it has a very complex chemical composition that varies depending on the flora of the bees collection. It offers an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory capacity related to its antioxidant, immunomodulatory power, among others. Aims: In this work, antioxidant and antitumoral activities of different propolis collected from different areas of the province of Malaga, comparing them with one from the Bohemian region to the south of the Czech Republic are studied. Material and methods: Antioxidant activity was determined according to the ABTS+/S2O8K2 method. In addition, the quantity of total proteins from the nitrogen content and subsequently the cytotoxicity and antitumoral activity of the propolis of Puerto de la Torre, north of Malaga, are measured according to the 3-(4,5-dimetiltiazol-2-il)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide method. Results: It was observed that propolis has high antioxidant activity, although it has a lower amount of proteins. Propolis has high toxicity and higher antitumoral activity against colon cancer than leukemia. Discussion: With all these data, it can be concluded that propolis offers different activities of interest, for the food and cosmetic industry, among which the high antioxidant and antitumoral capacity