The Effect of Fucoidan, a Potential New, Natural, Anti-Neoplastic Agent on Uterine Sarcomas and Carcinosarcoma Cell Lines: ENITEC Collaborative Study

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the activity of fucoidan on the uterine sarcomas (MES-SA and ESS-1) and carcinosarcoma cell lines (SK-UT-1 and SK-UT-1B) and its toxicity on the human skin fibroblasts (HSF). Two uterine sarcomas and two carcinosarcoma cell lines were examined, as a control HSF were used. Cell viability was assessed with MTT test, apoptosis with caspase-3 activity and cell cycle by assessment of DNA synthesis. Fucoidan significantly decreases cell viability in SK-UT-1, SK-UT-1B, and ESS-1 cell lines, such effect was not observed in MES-SA. Fucoidan was not substantially affecting proliferation among normal cells. The tested agent induced apoptosis in all cell cultures used in the experiment. Fucoidan affects cell cycle of all tested cell lines except MES-SA by increasing percentage of cells in G0/sub-G1/G1 phase. Fucoidan do not only affect proliferation but induces apoptosis in selected uterine sarcoma and carcinosarcoma cell lines, so it has potential to be used as cytotoxic agent. Fucoidan seems to be promising anti-cancer agent for endometrial stromal sarcoma and carcinosarcoma.

Keywords: Fucoidan; Targeted treatment; Uterine sarcomas.

Fig. 1

The influence of fucoidan on the proliferation of SK-UT-1 (a), SK-UT-1B (b), ESS-1 (c), MES-SA (d) cell lines, human skin fibroblast (HSF) (e) and combined chart (f). The cells were treated with the fucoidan at various concentrations for 96 h (**p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 versus the control, one-way ANOVA test)

Fig. 2

Effects of fucoidan on caspase-3 activation in SK-UT-1 (a), SK-UT-1B (b), ESS-1 (c), MES-SA (d) cell lines. Induction of apoptosis by fucoidan after 48 h exposure. Data were analyzed by flow cytometry and results are expressed as mean ± SD of three separate experiments (**p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 versus the control, one-way ANOVA test)

Fig. 3

Effect of fucoidan on cell cycle progression in SK-UT-1 (a), SK-UT-1B (b), ESS-1 (c) and MES-SA (d) cell lines. The cell lines were incubated for 48 h with fucoidan (0.05–5 mg/ml) and analyzed by flow cytometry. The results are presented as mean ± SD from three separate experiments. Data were analyzed by flow cytometry and results are expressed as mean ± SD of three separate experiments (n = 6 per each concentration; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 versus the control, one-way ANOVA test)