Fucoidan, the complex fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharide varies considerably in structure, composition, and bioactivity, depending on the source, species, seasonality, and extraction method. In this study, we examined five fucoidans extracted from the same seaweed species Undaria pinnatifida but from different geological locations, and compared them to the laboratory-grade fucoidan from Sigma (S). The five products differed in molecular composition. The amount of over 2 kDa low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) of the New Zealand crude fucoidan (S1) was larger than that of S, and this fraction was unique, compared to the other four fucoidans. The difference of molecular compositions between S and S1 explained our previous observation that S1 exhibited different anticancer profile in some cancer cell lines, compared with S. Since we observed this unique LMWF, we compared the cytotoxic effects of a LMWF and a high molecular weight fucoidan (HMWF) in two breast cancer cell linesMCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Results indicated that the molecular weight is a critical factor in determining the anti-cancer potential of fucoidan, from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida, as the LMWF exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of breast cancer cells, significantly better than the HMWF, in both cell lines. A time-dependent inhibition was only observed in the MCF-7. Induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis was observed in the MDA-MB-231 cells, through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway alone, or with the extrinsic pathway. LMWF stimulated a dose-dependent NOS activation in the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the fucoidan extracted from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida contains a unique LMWF, which could effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the LMWF from New Zealand U. pinnatifida could be used as a supplement cancer treatment.
[1]Shenzhen Univ, Coll Life Sci & Oceanog, Shenzhen 518071, Peoples R China;
[2]Auckland Univ Technol, Fac Hlth & Environm Sci, Sch Sci, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
[3]Shaanxi Normal Univ, Coll Food Engn & Nutr Sci, Xian 710119, Shaanxi, Peoples R China;
[4]Auckland Univ Technol, Fac Hlth & Environm Sci, Sch Interprofess Hlth Studies, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
[5]Auckland Univ Technol, Inst Biomed Technol, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
[6]Nanchang Univ, State Key Lab Food Sci & Technol, Nanchang 330047, Jiangxi, Peoples R China;
[7]Cairo Univ, Fac Med, Dept Med Biochem & Mol Biol, Cairo 12613, Egypt;
[8]Auckland Univ Technol, Fac Hlth & Environm Sci, Sch Sci, AUT Roche Diagnost Lab, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
[9]Xinjiang Univ, Coll Life Sci & Technol, Xinjiang Key Lab Biol Resources & Genet Engn, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, Peoples R China;
[10]Fudan Univ, Shanghai Med Coll, Key Lab Med Mol Virol MOE MOH, 130 Dong Rd, Shanghai 200032, Peoples R China
(8.0+极速模式)