Antiproliferative activity of Portunus segnis muscle extract on apoptosis of colon cancer cell line (HT-29)

Recently, marine natural products have had a critical role in the development of medicinal goods. The present study aimed to determine and compare in vitro effects of hexane, butanol, ethyl acetate, and water extracts of the muscle of Portunus segnis on a colon cancer cell line. In this experimental study, the HT29 colon cancer cell line was treated with various concentrations of crude extracts in three periods of 24, 48, and 72 h. HT29 viability was evaluated by Trypan Blue staining and MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry assays. Also, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lactate dehydrogenase, and caspase 3/7-9 activities were tested in butanol extract-treated HT29 cells. Bioactive compounds of butanol extract were analyzed by gas chromatography-mas spectrometry (GC-MS). Palmitoleic acid (4.83%), 9-octadecenoic acid (4.82%), docosane (4.66%) and eicosane (4.34%) were found in muscle butanol extract of P. segnis. The muscle butanol extract demonstrated an IC50 of 10.12±0.35 µg/mL, towards the cell line. The results also indicate that decreasing cell viability depends on both dose and time. The bioactive compounds led to a significant elevation in ROS production, as assessed by the measurement of fluorescence intensity in stained cells. Furthermore, activation of caspases-3/7 and -9 induced apoptosis. After treatment with the butanol extract compound, activation of caspases-3/7-9 was illustrated and confirmed the involvement of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Butanol extract compounds of the muscle of P. segnis can be introduced as a potential candidate for the development of anticancer chemotherapeutic agents.