Anti-Cancerous Potential of Polysaccharides Derived from Wheat Cell Culture

Abstract

There is a global need to discover effective anti-cancerous compounds from natural sources. Cultivated wheat cells can be a valuable source of non-toxic or low toxic plant-derived polysaccharides. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer ability of seven fractions of wheat cell culture polysaccharides (WCCPSs) in the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line. Almost all (6/7) fractions had an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of colon cancer cells, and two fractions (A-b and A-f) had considerable therapeutic indexes. The WCCPS fractions induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and induced different rates of apoptosis (≤48%). Transmission and scanning electron microscopy revealed that WCCPS fractions caused apoptotic changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm, including damage to mitochondria and external morphological signs of apoptosis. In addition, the WCCPSs induced an increase in the levels of Bax, cytochrome c, and caspases 8 and 3, indicating that cell death progressed through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. Furthermore, some fractions caused a significant decrease of c-Myc, b-catenin, NFkB2, and HCAM (CD 44) levels, indicating enhanced cell differentiation. Thus, for the first time, our results provide a proof of concept of the anti-cancer capacity of WCCPS fractions in colorectal cancer.

Performance of Malaysian kenaf Hibiscus cannabinus callus biomass and exopolysaccharide production in a novel liquid culture

“…The production of EPS through plant cell suspension culture that can be retrieved from the growth medium is common [ 15 , 21 , 37 , 38 ]. The EPS produced can be categorized based on their major molecular structures such as glucans, galacturonan, and xyloglucan.…”

“…However, despite kenaf’s encouraging performance within the therapeutic field, most of the reported activities are still heavily dependent on harvesting the physical crop itself which indirectly translates into our total reliance on traditional farming to retrieve kenaf valuable extracts. In the long run, this practice is deemed to be unsustainable as the end-products quality and efficiency could vary due to inconsistent farming practices, unpredictable climatic conditions, and pest infestation [ 15–17 ]. Besides, land availability will become an issue as well for the mass production of kenaf solely for its therapeutic potential as the farmers may have to compete with other crop growers, especially for food and staple crops [ 18 ].…”

“…Plant cell suspension culture method has been used to produce a variety of phytochemicals from different types of plants such as betalain (dragon fruit), phenolics and flavonoids (box-thorn), free amino acids (bamboo), and extracellular polysaccharides (wheat and rice) [ 15 , 16 , 21–23 ]. Since this technique is independent of raising and maintaining crops, the production of the targeted compounds from the plant of interest can be done regardless of season, land, and plant availability [ 16 ].…”

The Large Molecular Weight Polysaccharide from Wild Cordyceps and Its Antitumor Activity on H22 Tumor-Bearing Mice

“…In recent years, natural polysaccharides have attracted the attention of researchers due to their safety and biological activity [9]. Studies have reported that polysaccharides extracted from TCM have few adverse effects and various biological functions on cancer [10], hyperlipidemia [11], inflammation [12], immunity [13], and antioxidation [14]. Polysaccharides from Penthorum chinense Pursh have been shown to inhibit H22 cell growth via the induction of a mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis [15].…”

Antioxidant, Immunostimulatory, and Anticancer Properties of Hydrolyzed Wheat Bran Mediated through Macrophages Stimulation

“…WB contains high-value health-promoting components, including dietary fibre and phenolic compounds [ 9 ]. There is in vivo and in vitro evidence that WB polysaccharides are antitumour agents with immunomodulatory activity [ 10 , 11 ]. WB polysaccharides activate cells of the innate immune system (macrophages), stimulating the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the production of ROS via toll-like receptor 4-p38 MAPK [ 12 ] and NF-κB signalling pathways [ 13 ].…”