The In Vitro Anti-amyloidogenic Activity of the Mediterranean Red Seaweed Halopithys Incurva

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are generally characterized by the presence of neurotoxic amyloid aggregates underlying progressive neuronal death. Since ancient times, natural compounds have been used as curative agents for human health. Amyloid research is constantly looking for safe natural molecules capable of blocking toxic amyloid aggregates’ formation. From the marine environment, seaweeds are recognized as rich reservoirs of molecules with multiple bioactivities, including the anti-amyloidogenic activity. Here, hydroalcoholic extracts of two seasonal samples of the Mediterranean red seaweed Halophytis incurva (HIEs) were characterized by the HPLC-DAD-MS analysis. The H. incurva anti-amyloidogenic role was explored by incubating both HIEs with hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL), a well-known protein model widely used in amyloid aggregation experiments. The aggregation kinetics and morphological analysis of amyloid aggregates were performed by ThT and AFM analysis, respectively, while their cytotoxicity on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells was examined by MTT assay. HIEs showed a different efficacy, probably dependent on their metabolic composition, both in inhibiting amyloid fibrillation and in obtaining short and less toxic pre-fibrillary aggregates. Overall, this work sheds light, for the first time, on a Mediterranean red seaweed as a promising renewable resource of bioactive compounds, potentially useful in preventing the formation of toxic amyloid aggregates.

First Report of Halopithys incurva (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Marchica Lagoon of Nador (North-Est Morocco, Mediterranean)

“…Halopithys incurva acted as a good inhibitor of carbon steel corrosion in acid [16]. In the medicinal and pharmaceutical fields, through their antiamyloidogenic [17], antibacterial, antiviral, antimycobacterial, antiplasmodial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, and strong anti-inflammatory properties, they also have antitumour and antioxidant potential on human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells [18][19][20][21][22]. In addition, H. incurva has shown polysaccharidemediated immunomodulatory effects [23].…”

Spatial and temporal variation of diversity seaweed (rhodophyceae, chlorophyceae and Phaeophyceae) in the Marchica lagoon (North-East Morocco)

“…These new products, commonly known as SDN (Natural Defense Stimulator), could eventually replace certain phytosanitary treatments (Jaulneauet al 2010). In the medicinal and pharmaceutical eld, through their anti-amyloidogenic role (Vasarri et al 2020), antibacterial, antiviral, antimyco-bacterial, antiplasmodial, antiprotozoal, antifungal and strongly antiin ammatory properties (Allmendinger et (Zbakh et al 2014). Indeed, green algae contain a family of sulphated polysaccharides called ulvanes, which are the subject of several studies aimed at highlighting their bene cial activities in protecting plants against pathogens (Misurcova et al 2012).…”