title: Growth-inhibitory effects of the red alga Gelidium amansii on cultured cells.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Gelidium amansii, an edible red agar cultivated off the northeast coast of Taiwan, on the growth of two lines of cancer cells, murine hepatoma (Hepa-1) and human leukemia (HL-60) cells, as well as a normal cell line, murine embryo fibroblast cells (NIH-3T3). The potential role of G. amansii on the induction of apoptosis was also examined. The results indicated that all extracts from G. amansii, including phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and methanol extracts from dried algae as well as the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extract from freeze-dried G. amansii agar, inhibited the growth of Hepa-1 and NIH-3T3 cells, but not the growth of HL-60 cells. Annexin V-positive cells were observed in methanol and DMSO extract-treated, but not PBS extract-treated Hepa-1 and NIH-3T3 cells, suggesting that the lipid-soluble extracts of G. amansii induced apoptosis. In summary, extracts of G. amansii from various preparations exhibited antiproliferative effects on Hepa-1 and NIH-3T3 cells, and apoptosis may play a role in the methanol and DMSO extract-induced inhibitory effects. However, the antiproliferative effects of PBS extracts was not through apoptosis. Moreover, the growth-inhibitory effects of G. amansii were not specific to cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, Taiwan 110, ROC. yuehwa@tmu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Yue-Hwa
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ching-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Hsiao-Ting
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide; D006801:Humans; D000432:Methanol; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D000432:Methanol; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide