Promising anticancer activity of a lichen, Parmelia sulcata Taylor, against breast cancer cell lines and genotoxic effect on human lymphocytes

Abstract

Plants are still to be explored for new anticancer compounds because overall success in cancer treatment is still not satisfactory. As a new possible source for such compounds, the lichens are recently taking a great attention. We, therefore, explored both the genotoxic and anti-growth properties of lichen species Parmelia sulcata Taylor. The chemical composition of P. sulcata was analyzed with comprehensive gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry. Anti-growth effect was tested in human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) by the MTT and ATP viability assays, while the genotoxic activity was studied by assays for micronucleus, chromosomal aberration and DNA fragmentation in human lymphocytes culture. Cell death modes (apoptosis/necrosis) were morphologically assessed. P. sulcata inhibited the growth in a dose-dependent manner up to a dose of 100 lg/ml and induced caspase-independent apoptosis. It also showed genotoxic activity at doses ([125 lg/ml) higher than that required for apoptosis. These results suggest that P. sulcata may induce caspase-independent apoptotic cell death at lower doses, while it may be genotoxic at relatively higher doses.

Parmelia sulcata Taylor and Usnea filipendula Stirt induce apoptosis‐like cell death and DNA damage in cancer cells

“…They observed that ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts had cytotoxic effects on HeLa cells 72 h after treatment (7). Anti-proliferative, apoptotic and genotoxic potential of Hypogymnia physodes and Parmelia sulcata extracts (PSE) has been studied by our group and we found that methanolic extracts of these lichen species, composed primarily of aliphatic compounds, had different effects (anti-proliferative or genotoxic) depending on doses used (8,9).…”

In Vitro Studies on Antioxidant, Hypolipidemic and Cytotoxic Potential of Parmelia Perlata

“…Anticancer activities of Parmelia species against human melanoma, colon carcinoma and breast cancer cell lines were reported in earlier studies [34,35]. In this study, HCT 116 cell lines were used to determine the antiproliferative activity of P. perlata by MTT assay.…”

Biological activities of undescribed North American lichen species

“…Much of the work on cultured neoplastic cells performed between 1979 and 2012 has been summarized . More recent investigations report antiproliferative activity against a variety of cultured cell lines . To our knowledge, only two investigations included non‐neoplastic cells as controls and showed a degree of selectivity (SI) of the lichen compounds against the transformed cell as compared to normal cells .…”

“…8,11 More recent investigations report antiproliferative activity against a variety of cultured cell lines. 8,10,11,15 To our knowledge, only two investigations included non-neoplastic cells as controls and showed a degree of selectivity (SI) of the lichen compounds against the transformed cell as compared to normal cells. 16,17 Studies on living model animals are rarely performed or reported, but of note is the report of inhibition of tumor angiogenesis by olivetoric acid.…”