title: C-phycocyanin suppresses transforming growth factor-β1-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition in human epithelial cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process through which epithelial cells undergo multiple biochemical changes, causing them to differentiate into a mesenchymal-cell phenotype. This process has been shown to contribute to the development of fibrotic diseases. C-phycocyanin (C-PC) is a phycobiliprotein extracted from Spirulina platensis. This study was done to investigate the effect of C-PC on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced EMT and an EMT associated proliferation in human epithelial cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human adenocarcinoma cell line, A549 and breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 were treated with TGF-β1, and EMT-related genes expression, cell proliferation and cell cycle arrest were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C-PC suppressed the EMT as assessed by reduced expression of vimentin, type-1-collagen and fibronectin, and increased E-cadherin expression in TGF-β1 treated cells. Further, TGF-β1 treatment induced cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M phase in A549 cells. However, TGF-β1-mediated cell cycle arrest was significantly reversed by combined treatment with C-PC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall data suggested that C-PC suppresses TGF- β1-induced EMT and warrants further in vivo studies for future evaluation of C-PC as a potential antifibrotic agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, BIT-Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Dhamotharan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pattarayan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, BIT-Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Dheeran
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rajarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, BIT-Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Sivanantham
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ayyanar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, BIT-Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Rajaguru
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palanichamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, BIT-Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: rajasekarphd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rajasekaran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Subbiah
mesh_terms: D000072283:A549 Cells; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D010798:Phycocyanin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D010798:Phycocyanin
keywords: C-phycocyanin; Cell proliferation; Epithelial cells; Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; TGF-β1