Farha A Ali Shafi1, Nebrass Faleh2. 1. Department of Biology, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq. szfs@uomustansiriyah.edu.iq. 2. Department of Biology, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: The importance of earthworm in treatment of various diseases has been proven in ancient literatures. Nowadays, with advances in biotechnology, earthworm is considered a rich natural source of many biomolecules that possesses antioxidant and antitumor activities. The present study aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of earthworm powder (Lumbricus terrestris) against two cell lines, breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and prostate cancer cells (PC-3). METHODS: Fully matured earthworms (L. terrestris) were collected from soil in Baghdad, Iraq. To assess the cytotoxicity of earthworm powder, the MTT assay was conducted on cancerous (MCF-7 and PC-3 cells) and normal cell line (WRL68 cells) lines. RESULTS: It was revealed that earthworm powder exerts cytotoxic effects against two cancer cell lines. The viability of MCF-7 and PC-3 cells decreased with increasing the concentration. The IC50 values for PC-3 and MCF-7 cell lines were 265.5 and 965.9 μg/ml, respectively, while the earthworm powder exhibited no cytotoxicity against the WRL68 cells. According to the analysis of the results of the multiple cytotoxicity assay (HCS), the treatment of PC-3 cells with 100, 200, and 400 μg/ml of earthworm powder for 24 h at 37 °C led to cell death by changing the permeability of mitochondrial membrane resulting in cytochrome C release and inducing apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study contribute additional evidence for the antitumor activity of earthworm extracts. Therefore, further research should concentrate on isolating and identifying the earthworm's active biomolecules that have antitumor activity by investigating the molecular mechanism, genetics, and pathways responsible for the antitumor activity of these biomolecules.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: The importance of earthworm in treatment of various diseases has been proven in ancient literatures. Nowadays, with advances in biotechnology, earthworm is considered a rich natural source of many biomolecules that possesses antioxidant and antitumor activities. The present study aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of earthworm powder (Lumbricus terrestris) against two cell lines, breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and prostate cancer cells (PC-3). METHODS: Fully matured earthworms (L. terrestris) were collected from soil in Baghdad, Iraq. To assess the cytotoxicity of earthworm powder, the MTT assay was conducted on cancerous (MCF-7 and PC-3 cells) and normal cell line (WRL68 cells) lines. RESULTS: It was revealed that earthworm powder exerts cytotoxic effects against two cancer cell lines. The viability of MCF-7 and PC-3 cells decreased with increasing the concentration. The IC50 values for PC-3 and MCF-7 cell lines were 265.5 and 965.9 μg/ml, respectively, while the earthworm powder exhibited no cytotoxicity against the WRL68 cells. According to the analysis of the results of the multiple cytotoxicity assay (HCS), the treatment of PC-3 cells with 100, 200, and 400 μg/ml of earthworm powder for 24 h at 37 °C led to cell death by changing the permeability of mitochondrial membrane resulting in cytochrome C release and inducing apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study contribute additional evidence for the antitumor activity of earthworm extracts. Therefore, further research should concentrate on isolating and identifying the earthworm's active biomolecules that have antitumor activity by investigating the molecular mechanism, genetics, and pathways responsible for the antitumor activity of these biomolecules.
Entities:
Keywords:
Antitumor; Breast cancer cells (MCF-7); Earthworms; Prostate cancer cells (PC-3)
Authors: Marta J Fiołka; Paulina Czaplewska; Katarzyna Macur; Tomasz Buchwald; Jolanta Kutkowska; Roman Paduch; Zbigniew Kaczyński; Jerzy Wydrych; Teresa Urbanik-Sypniewska Journal: PLoS One Date: 2019-03-11 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Edwin L Cooper; Mariappan Balamurugan; Chih-Yang Huang; Clara R Tsao; Jesus Heredia; Mila Tommaseo-Ponzetta; Maurizio G Paoletti Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2012-07-25 Impact factor: 2.629