The discovery of cancer drugs that effectively destroy cancer cells or stop their growth without toxicity to normal cells is a challenge to enhance the therapeutic effects and reduce side effects. Many papers have highlighted the implication of marine algae that show anticancer activity. In this report, we assessed the cytotoxic activity of two different crude extracts from Sargassum vulgare (Sargassaceae), a marine brown algae collected from the Lebanese coast, against Jurkat human cancer cell line using trypan blue exclusion test. Both extracts, water: ethanol extract and chloroform: ethanol extract, showed cytotoxic activity against Jurkat cancer cell line with IC50 values of 136.907 µg/ mL and 49.056 µg/ mL, respectively after 72 hours of treatment. Further research designed to isolate and identify novel and efficient anticancer drug candidates from these seaweed extracts need to be explored.

Background The alteration of lipid metabolism in cancer cells is recognized as one of the most important metabolic hallmarks of cancer. Membrane rafts defined as plasma membrane microdomains enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids serve as platforms for signaling regulation in cancer. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the cholesterol metabolite, 4-cholesten-3-one, on lipid metabolism and membrane raft integrity in two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Its ability to reduce cell viability and migration has also been investigated. Methods RT-qPCR was performed to evaluate the expression of enzymes involved in lipogenesis and cholesterol synthesis, and ABCG1 and ABCA1 transporters involved in cholesterol efflux. Its effect on cell viability and migration was studied using the MTT assay, the wound healing assay and the Transwell migration assay, respectively. The effect of 4-cholesten-3-one on membrane rafts integrity was investigated by studying the protein expression of flotillin-2, a membrane raft marker, and raft-enriched EGFR by western blot. Results Interestingly, we found that 4-cholesten-3-one treatment decreased mRNA expression of different enzymes including ACC1, FASN, SCD1 and HMGCR. We further demonstrated that 4-cholesten-3-one increased the expression of ABCG1 and ABCA1. We also found that 4-cholesten-3-one decreased the viability of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. This effect was neutralized after treatment with LXR inverse agonist or after LXRβ knockdown by siRNA. As a result, we also demonstrated that 4-cholesten-3-one disrupts membrane rafts and cell migration capacity. Conclusion Our results show that 4-cholesten-3-one exerts promising antitumor activity by altering LXR-dependent lipid metabolism in breast cancer cells without increasing lipogenesis.

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