Hyperhalophilic Diatom Extract Protects against Lead-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rats and Human HepG2 and HEK293 Cells

Abstract

This work investigated the protective effects of microalga Halamphora sp. extract (HExt), a nutraceutical and pharmacological natural product, on human lead-intoxicated liver and kidney cells in vitro and in vivo in Wistar rats. The human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 and the human embryonic kidney cell line HEK293 were used for the in vitro study. The analysis of the fatty acid methyl esters in the extract was performed via GC/MS. The cells were pretreated with HExt at 100 µg mL−1, followed by treatment with different concentrations of lead acetate, ranging from 25 to 200 µM for 24 h. The cultures were incubated (5% CO, 37 °C) for 24 h. Four groups, each containing six rats, were used for the in vivo experiment. The rats were exposed to subchronic treatment with a low dose of lead acetate (5 mg kg−1 b.w. per day). Pretreating HepG2 and HEK293 cells with the extract (100 µg mL−1) significantly (p < 0.05) protected against the cytotoxicity induced by lead exposure. For the in vivo experiment, the biochemical parameters in serum—namely, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)—were measured in the organ homogenate supernatants. HExt was found to be rich in fatty acids, mainly palmitic and palmitoleic acids (29.464% and 42.066%, respectively). In both the in vitro and in vivo experiments, cotreatment with HExt protected the liver and kidney cell structures and significantly preserved the normal antioxidant and biochemical parameters in rats. This study discovered the possible protective effect of HExt, which could be beneficial for Pb-intoxicated cells.

The Ocean’s Pharmacy: Health Discoveries in Marine Algae

“…The methanol extract from Halamphora sp. exhibited a notable ability to reduce the concentration of liver enzymes in the bloodstream, indicating a hepatoprotective effect against oxidative stress-induced injuries [58]. This was further confirmed by improved hepatocyte histology, which might be associated with the high fatty acid (mainly palmitic and palmitoleic acid) content of the extract.…”

“…Phenolic compounds extracted from Sargassum thunbergii [48], such as benzene and its derivatives (protocatechuic acid, difucol, gallic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid), cinnamic acids and their derivatives (p-Coumaric acid), flavonoids (isoquercitrin, quercitrin, isorhamnetin, and catechin), and phlorotannins (bifuhalol, pentafuhalol A, 7-hydroxyeckol, deshydroxypentafuhalol, trifuhalol A), along with a sulfated polysaccharide from Ecklonia maxima [60], were found to reduce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and repair skin damage. Therefore, the identified algal compounds and extracts seem to have antioxidant properties [35,36,[51][52][53][54][55], being able not only to restore a healthy balance between oxidants and antioxidants, but also aid in the regulation and mitigation of oxidative stress-induced damages in specific organs, such as the skin [48,60], liver, and kidney [58,59]. Inflammation is a fundamental and intricate biological process that plays a vital role in maintaining the body's homeostasis.…”