Marine-derived fungi extracts enhance the cytotoxic activity of doxorubicin in nonsmall cell lung cancer cells A459
Bruno Castro-Carvalho1, Alice A Ramos1, Maria Prata-Sena1, Fernanda Malhão1, Márcia Moreira2, Daniela Gargiulo3, Tida Dethoup4, Suradet Buttachon5, Anake Kijjoa5, Eduardo Rocha1
1 Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos; Department of Microscopy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal 2 Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal 3 Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; University Center of Belo Horizonte, University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil 4 Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand 5 Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos; Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Correspondence Address:
Eduardo Rocha Department of Microscopy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua De Jorge Viterbo Ferreira No. 228, 4050-313 Porto Portugal
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/pr.pr_57_17
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Background: Drug resistance is a major concern in the current chemotherapeutic approaches and the combination with natural compounds may enhance the cytotoxic effects of the anticancer drugs. Therefore, this study evaluated the cytotoxicity of crude ethyl extracts of six marine-derived fungi – Neosartorya tsunodae KUFC 9213 (E1), Neosartorya laciniosa KUFC 7896 (E2), Neosartorya fischeri KUFC 6344 (E3), Aspergillus similanensis KUFA 0013 (E4), Neosartorya paulistensis KUFC 7894 (E5), and Talaromyces trachyspermum KUFC 0021 (E6) – when combined with doxorubicin (Dox), in seven human cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: The antiproliferative activity was primarily assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Results: Two extracts, E1 and E2, demonstrated a significant enhancement of Dox's cytotoxicity in nonsmall cell lung cancer A549 cells. Accumulation of Dox in the nuclei increased when A549 cells were treated in combination with extracts E1 and E2, with induction of cell death observed by the nuclear condensation assay. The combination of E2 with Dox increased the DNA damage as detected by the comet assay. Ultrastructural observations by transmission electron microscopy suggest an autophagic cell death due to an increase of autophagic vesicles, namely with the combination of Dox with E1 and E2. Conclusion: These findings led to the conclusion that the fungal extracts E1 and E2 potentiate the anticancer action of Dox, through nuclear accumulation of Dox with induction of cell death mainly by cytotoxic autophagy. |