title: Antiproliferative, antibacterial and antifungal activity of the lichen Xanthoria parietina and its secondary metabolite parietin.
abstract: Lichens are valuable natural resources used for centuries throughout the world as medicine, food, fodder, perfume, spices and dyes, as well as for other miscellaneous purposes. This study investigates the antiproliferative, antibacterial and antifungal activity of the acetone extract of the lichen Xanthoria parietina (Linnaeus) Theodor Fries and its major secondary metabolite, parietin. The extract and parietin were tested for antimicrobial activity against nine American Type Culture Collection standard and clinically isolated bacterial strains, and three fungal strains. Both showed strong antibacterial activity against all bacterial strains and matched clinical isolates, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus from standard and clinical sources. Among the fungi tested, Rhizoctonia solani was the most sensitive. The antiproliferative effects of the extract and parietin were also investigated in human breast cancer cells. The extract inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis, both effects being accompanied by modulation of expression of cell cycle regulating genes such as p16, p27, cyclin D1 and cyclin A. It also mediated apoptosis by activating extrinsic and intrinsic cell death pathways, modulating Tumor Necrosis Factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and inducing Bcl-2-associated agonist of cell death (BAD) phosphorylation. Our results indicate that Xanthoria parietina is a major potential source of antimicrobial and anticancer substances.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences-Plant Biology Section, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples 80126, Italy. adbasile@unina.it.
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Basile
authors: Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples 80131, Italy. drigano@unina.it.
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Rigano
authors: Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy. stefano.loppi@unisi.it.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Loppi
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy. annalisa.disanti@unina.it.
authors: Annalisa
authors: A
authors: Di Santi
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy. angela.nebbioso@unina2.it.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Nebbioso
authors: Interdepartmental Service Centre for Electron Microscopy C.I.S.M.E., University of Naples "Federico II", via Foria 223, Naples 80139, Italy. sergio.sorbo@unina.it.
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Sorbo
authors: Department of Biological Sciences-Plant Biology Section, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples 80126, Italy. bbconte@yahoo.it.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Conte
authors: Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy. paoli4@unisi.it.
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Paoli
authors: Department of Biological Sciences-Plant Biology Section, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples 80126, Italy. francesca.deruberto@gmail.com.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: De Ruberto
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy. annamaria.molinari@unina2.it.
authors: Anna Maria
authors: AM
authors: Molinari
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy. lucia.altucci@unina2.it.|Institute of Genetics and Biophysics (IGB), Adriano Buzzati Traverso, Naples 80131, Italy. lucia.altucci@unina2.it.
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Altucci
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, Naples 80138, Italy. paola.bontempo@unina2.it.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Bontempo
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004642:Emodin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008011:Lichens / Q000737:chemistry*; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012232:Rhizoctonia / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; C008905:physcione; D004642:Emodin