title: Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of methanolic extract from a neglected agricultural product: corn cobs.
abstract: Neglected agricultural products (NAPs) are defined as discarded material in agricultural production. Corn cobs are a major waste of agriculture maize. Here, a methanolic extract from corn cobs (MEC) was obtained. MEC contains phenolic compounds, protein, carbohydrates (1.4:0.001:0.001). We evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential of MEC. Furthermore, its antiproliferative property against tumor cells was assessed through MTT assays and proteins related to apoptosis in tumor cells were examined by western blot. MEC showed no hydroxyl radical scavenger capacity, but it showed antioxidant activity in Total Antioxidant Capacity and DPPH scavenger ability assays. MEC showed higher Reducing Power than ascorbic acid and exhibited high Superoxide Scavenging activity. In tumor cell culture, MEC increased catalase, metallothionein and superoxide dismutase expression in accordance with the antioxidant tests. In vivo antioxidant test, MEC restored SOD and CAT, decreased malondialdehyde activities and showed high Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity in animals treated with CCl4. Furthermore, MEC decreased HeLa cells viability by apoptosis due an increase of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase 3 active. Protein kinase C expression increased was also detected in treated tumor cells. Thus, our findings pointed out the biotechnological potential of corn cobs as a source of molecules with pharmacological activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biotecnologia de Polímeros Naturais (BIOPOL), Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raniere Fagundes
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Melo-Silveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biotecnologia de Polímeros Naturais (BIOPOL), Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, RN 59078-970, Brazil. gabrielfideliss@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gabriel Pereira
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Fidelis
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biotecnologia de Polímeros Naturais (BIOPOL), Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, RN 59078-970, Brazil. rony_lucas@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rony Lucas Silva
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biotecnologia de Polímeros Naturais (BIOPOL), Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, RN 59078-970, Brazil. vihcampelo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vinícius Campelo
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Soeiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioensaios in vitro e Transdução do Sinal, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, SP 13083-970, Brazil. dasilva.rodrigo.a@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Augusto da
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioensaios in vitro e Transdução do Sinal, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, SP 13083-970, Brazil. daisy.machado@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Intituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte, RN 59200-000, Brazil. leandro-silva-costa@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Leandro Silva
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioensaios in vitro e Transdução do Sinal, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, SP 13083-970, Brazil. carmenv@unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Carmen Veríssima
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biotecnologia de Polímeros Naturais (BIOPOL), Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, RN 59078-970, Brazil. hugo@cb.ufrn.br.
authors.forename: Hugo Alexandre
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Oliveira Rocha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013481:Superoxides / Q000737:chemistry; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D013481:Superoxides; D008668:Metallothionein; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000432:Methanol