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Evaluation of the biological activities of olivetoric acid, a lichen-derived molecule, in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

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Abstract

Many lichen secondary metabolites contributed to the field of pharmacology as an active ingredient of different drugs for years. In the present study, we aimed to test the anticancer activity of olivetoric acid (OA), which we isolated from Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2). In addition, we used non-tumoral human liver cells (THLE2) to test the level of side effects of OA in vitro. For this purpose, cytotoxic (apoptotic and necrotic), oxidant, genotoxic activities and expression levels of apoptotic genes caused by different concentrations (12.5–400 mg/L) of OA were tested on both cells. Flow cytometric and cytotoxicity tests (MTT and LDH) revealed that OA (100–400 mg/L) had a higher rate of apoptotic effects on HepG2 cells compared to THLE2. Total oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage levels caused by all concentrations of OA on HepG2 cells was significantly (p < 0.05) higher compared to negative control. Trials with concentrations of 100–400 mg/L significantly (p < 0.05) increased total antioxidant capacity on THLE2 cells compared to the control group. As a result, based on human hepatocellular carcinoma, it is hoped that OA may contribute to the combined or alternative treatment process.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) [Grant Number 117Z632].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Kamil Özdağ Faculty of Science, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Turkey

    Bugrahan Emsen, Gokhan Sadi, Aykut Bostanci & Nuray Gursoy

  2. Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Faculty of Medicine, Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Ayca Emsen

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey

    Ali Aslan

  4. Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    Ali Aslan

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  1. Bugrahan Emsen
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  2. Gokhan Sadi
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BE and GS designed the experiments. All authors carried out the experiments. BE and GS analysed the data. BE wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Bugrahan Emsen.

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Emsen, B., Sadi, G., Bostanci, A. et al. Evaluation of the biological activities of olivetoric acid, a lichen-derived molecule, in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 32, 135–148 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-021-00976-4

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