Browsing by Author "Preto, Marco"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Anticancer potential of spores of the soil fungus Pisolithus tinctoriusPublication . Oliveira, Rui S.; Alves, Ricardo; Preto, Marco; Martins, RosárioCancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide being the search for new anticancer drugs essential for the treatment of this disease. The sporocarps of the soil fungus Pisolithus tinctorius contain pisosterol, a triterpene that has been shown to have antitumor activity against some cancer cell lines. Nevertheless, no studies have focused on the anticancer potential of other structures such as spores, and so the anticancer potential of P. tinctorius, remains largely unknown. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of P. tinctorius spores as a source of anticancer compounds.
- Cytotoxicity Induced by Extracts of Pisolithus tinctorius Spores on Human Cancer and Normal Cell Lines—Evaluation of the Anticancer PotentialPublication . Alves, Ricardo; Preto, Marco; Vasconcelos, Vítor; Oliveira, Rui S.; Martins, RosarioFungi have been considered a potential source of natural anticancer drugs. However, studies on these organisms have mainly focused on compounds present in the sporocarp and mycelium. The aim of this study was to assess the anticancer potential of fungal spores using a bioassay-guided fractionation with cancer and normal cell lines. Crude extracts from spores of the basidiomycetous fungus Pisolithus tinctorius were prepared using five solvents/solvent mixtures in order to select the most effective crude extraction procedure. A dichloromethane/methanol (DCM/MeOH) mixture was found to produce the highest extraction yield, and this extract was fractionated into 11 fractions. Crude extracts and fractions were assayed for cytotoxicity in the human osteocarcinoma cell line MG63, the human breast carcinoma cell line T47D, the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line RKO, and the normal human brain capillary endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. The results showed a reduction in cancer cell viability of approximately 95% with 4 of 11 fractions without a significant reduction in viability of hCMEC/D3 cells. Data demonstrated that spores of P. tinctorius might serve as an interesting source of compounds with potential anticancer properties.
- Cytotoxicity of the soil fungus Pisolithus tinctorius spores against cancer cells – a potential source of anticancer drugsPublication . Alves, Ricardo; Fernandes, João; Preto, Marco; Oliveira, Rui S.; Martins, RosarioCancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide being the search for new anticancer drugs essential for the treatment of this disease. The sporocarps of the soil fungus Pisolithus tinctorius contain pisosterol, a triterpene that has been shown to have antitumor activity against some cancer cell lines. Nevertheless, no studies have focused on the anticancer potential of other structures such as spores, and so the anticancer potential of P. tinctorius, remains largely unknown.
- Cytotoxity induced by extracts of Pisolithustinctorius spores on human cancer and normal cell lines – evaluation of the anticancer potentialPublication . Alves, Ricardo; Preto, Marco; Oliveira, Rui S.; Martins, RosárioCancer is one of the most important causes of death and morbidity worldwide. According to the World Health Organization 8.2 million people have died from cancer in 2012. The treatment of this fast growing disease is regarded as a major challenge in health for the XXI century. Conventional anti-cancer therapy is usually aggressive to the patients due to systemic toxicity caused by lack of specificity of the chemotherapy drugs (Kidd, 2000). This has triggered the interest of the scientific community to search for new and more effective therapies, less aggressive than conventional treatments. Used since antiquity in oriental civilizations, fungi, in particular mushrooms have been shown to limit or reverse tumor growth (Kidd, 2000). Pisolithustinctorius (Basidiomycota) is a soil fungus with world-wide distribution that it known to form ectomycorrhizal symbioses in forest ecosystems (Kope & Fortin, 1990). The sporocarps of this fungus contain Pisosterol, a triterpene that has been shown to have antitumor activity against some cancer cell lines (Montenegro et al., 2004). Nevertheless, no studies have focused on the anticancer potential of other structures such as spores and thus the anticancer potential of P. tinctorius , remains largely unknown.
- Exploitation of filamentous and picoplanktonic cyanobacteria for cosmetic applications: potential to improve skin structure and preserve dermal matrix componentsPublication . Morone, Janaína; Lopes, Graciliana; Preto, Marco; Vasconcelos, Vítor; Martins, RosárioThe use of natural products in skin care formulations gained interest as a concern formodern societies. The undesirable side effects of synthetic compounds, as well as the associatedenvironmental hazards, have driven investigation on photosynthetic organisms as sustainable sourcesof effective and environmentally friendly ingredients. The use of natural extracts in cosmetics hasbeen highlighted and, along with plants and algae, cyanobacteria have come into focus. Due totheir low culture demands, high grow rates and ability to produce a wide variability of bioactivemetabolites, cyanobacteria emerged as an economic and sustainable base for the cosmetic industry.In this study, we evaluated the potential of ethanol extracts of picocyanobacteria strains of the generaCyanobiumandSynechocystis and filamentous strains of the generaNodosilinea,PhormidiumandTychonemafor skin applications, with focus in the field of anti-aging. The extracts were analyzedfor their pigment profile, phenolic content, antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity against keratinocytes(HaCat), fibroblasts (3T3L1), endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) and capacity to inhibit hyaluronidase(HAase). The total carotenoid content ranged from 118.69 to 383.89μg g−1of dry biomass, and the totalphenolic content from 1.07 to 2.45 mg GAE g−1. Identified carotenoids consisted of zeaxanthin, lutein,canthaxanthin, echinenone andβ-carotene, with zeaxanthin and lutein being the most representative(49.82 and 79.08μg g−1, respectively). The highest antioxidant potential was found forPhormidiumsp.LEGE 05292 andTychonemasp. LEGE 07196 for superoxide anion radical (O2•−) scavenging (IC50of822.70 and 924μg mL−1, respectively). Low or no cytotoxicity were registered. Regarding HAaseinhibition,Tychonemasp. LEGE 07196 andCyanobiumsp. LEGE 07175 showed the best IC50(182.74and 208.36μg mL−1, respectively). In addition, an increase in fibroblast proliferation was registeredwith these same strains. From this work, the ethanol extracts of the speciesTychonemasp. andCyanobiumsp. are particularly interesting for their potential application in anti-aging formulations,once they stimulated fibroblast proliferation and inhibit hyaluronic acid digestion.
- Exploring the bioactive potential of Pisolithus (Basidiomycota): comprehensive insights into antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties for innovative applicationsPublication . S. Oliveira, Rui; Preto, Marco; Santos, Germana; Silva, Ana Margarida; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Martins, RosárioAddressing pressing health concerns, modern medical research seeks to identify new antimicrobials to combat drug resistance, novel molecules for cancer treatment, and antioxidants for inflammation-related diseases. Pisolithus (Basidiomycota) is a ubiquitous and widely distributed fungal genus in forest ecosystems, known for establishing ectomycorrhizal associations with a range of host plants, enhancing their growth, and conferring protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. Beyond ecological applications, Pisolithus yields bioactive compounds with medicinal potential. This comprehensive review explores the transversal biological activity of Pisolithus fungi, aiming to provide a thorough overview of their antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant potential. The focus is on elucidating bioactive compounds within Pisolithus to trigger further research for innovative applications. Compounds from Pisolithus displayed antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The efficacy of Pisolithus-derived compounds matched established medications, emphasizing their therapeutic potential. In anticancer research, the triterpene pisosterol stood out with documented cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines, showcasing promise for novel anticancer therapies. Pisolithus was also recognized as a potential source of antioxidants, with basidiocarps exhibiting high antioxidant activity. In vivo validation and comprehensive studies on a broader range of compounds, together with mechanistic insights into the mode of action of Pisolithus-derived compounds, are compelling areas for future research.
- Generation of spheroids of cancer cells for screening of antitumour activity of cyanobacterial extracts and isolated compounds.Publication . Sousa, Maria Lígia; Preto, Marco; Vasconcelos, Vítor; Martins, Rosário; Linder, Stig; Leão, Pedro; Urbatzka, RalphThe use of 3D cell culture for modelling cancer research is gaining interest, and in particular for screening of bioactive compounds. In the presented work, three compounds isolated from cyanobacteria and 92 chromatographic fractions obtained from crude organic extracts of 28 cyanobacterial strains from the Portuguese coast were tested on multicellular spheroids generated from the human cell lines HCT116 (colon colorectal carcinoma), HT-29 (colon adenocarcinoma) and A549 (lung carcinoma). Spheroids were incubated and analysed in an IncuCyte® ZOOM System, and M30 Cytodeath ELISA was performed for apoptosis. Portoamides isolated from Oscillatoria sp. LEGE 05292 reduced HCT116 spheroid integrity. Bartoloside B from Synechocystis salina LEGE 06155 decreased the size of HCT116 spheroids. Compound A isolated from Nodularia sp. LEGE 06071 induced a loss of the boundaries of the spheroid. Beyond that, portoamides induced apoptosis on HCT116 and HT29 spheroids, and compound A on HCT116 and A549 spheroids. The screening revealed that five fractions reduced the spheroid integrity; isolation of the active components will be done in the future by bioassay-guided fractionation. We conclude that the tested compounds and extracts show biological activities on multicellular spheroids and are therefore interesting candidates to be further developed as therapeutics for solid tumors.
- A natural oxadiazine isolated from cyanobacteria kills cancer cells in multicellular culture systems by impairing cellular respirationPublication . Sousa, Maria Lígia; Preto, Marco; Martins, Rosário; Vasconcelos, Vítor; Linder, Stig; Urbatzka, RalphCyanobacteria are versatile microorganisms that ubiquitously inhabit terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They adapt to external threats by mainly producing secondary metabolites. Therefore, cyanobacteria have been recognized as producer of natural products with potential biotechnological applications, such as bioplastics, antifouling, antibiotics, antiprotozoal or anticancer treatment.
- Phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity against keratinocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells of picoplanktonic marine cyanobacteriaPublication . Morone, Janaína; Lopes, Graciliana; Preto, Marco; Vasconcelos, Vítor; Martins, RosárioCombining the increase demand for natural products in skin care formulations, and the bioactive arsenal of cyanobacteria, we aimed with this study to evaluate the potential of a 70% ethanolic extract of picocyanobacteria strains of the genera Cyanobium and Synechocystis for skin care applications.
- Tracing the path between mushrooms and Alzheimer’s Disease—a literature reviewPublication . Silva, Ana Margarida; Preto, Marco; Grosso, Clara; Vieira, Mónica; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Reis, Mariana; Barros, Lillian; Martins, RosarioAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is well-known among neurodegenerative diseases for the decline of cognitive functions, making overall daily tasks difficult or impossible. The disease prevails as the most common form of dementia and remains without a well-defined etiology. Being considered a disease of multifactorial origin, current targeted treatments have only managed to reduce or control symptoms, and to date, only two drugs are close to being able to halt its progression. For decades, natural compounds produced by living organisms have been at the forefront of research for new therapies. Mushrooms, which are well-known for their nutritional and medicinal properties, have also been studied for their potential use in the treatment of AD. Natural products derived from mushrooms have shown to be beneficial in several AD-related mechanisms, including the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and β-secretase (BACE 1); the prevention of amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation and neurotoxicity; and the prevention of Tau expression and aggregation, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Several studies in the literature relate mushrooms to neurodegenerative diseases. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no publication that summarizes only AD data. In this context, this review aims to link the therapeutic potential of mushrooms to AD by compiling the anti-AD potential of different mushroom extracts or isolated compounds, targeting known AD-related mechanisms.