AUTHOR=Martínez Kevin A. , Saide Assunta , Crespo Gloria , Martín Jesús , Romano Giovanna , Reyes Fernando , Lauritano Chiara , Ianora Adrianna 

TITLE=Promising Antiproliferative Compound From the Green Microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta Against Human Cancer Cells

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.778108

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2022.778108

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Dunaliella tertiolecta</italic> is a green flagellated microalga with a high tolerance to salinity and high production of pigments such as zeaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid present in higher plants known for its antioxidant potential. In the current study, the antiproliferative activity of raw extracts and fractions of <italic>D. tertiolecta</italic> (clone CCMP 1320) was evaluated against four different human cancer cell lines: melanoma, hepatocellular liver carcinoma, and two lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. In addition, a normal cell line (lung fibroblast) was used as toxicity control. The activity was evaluated by treatment with the extracts/fractions following the MTT colorimetric assay procedures. HPLC-UV-HRMS based dereplication helped to identify the bioactive metabolites. A glycoglycerolipid was identified in the active fraction, being involved in the bioactivity of this microalga. This compound, glycerol 1-(9<italic>Z</italic>,12<italic>Z</italic>,15<italic>Z</italic>-octadecatrienoate)-2-(4<italic>Z</italic>,7<italic>Z</italic>,10<italic>Z</italic>,13<italic>Z</italic>-hexadecatetraenoate)-3-<italic>O</italic>-β-D-galactopyranoside (<bold>1</bold>), was purified and its antiproliferative activity was confirmed. This work gives new insights on the antiproliferative activity of the green alga <italic>D. tertiolecta</italic> and its potential industrial applications.</p>