Avaliação antitumoral e imunomodulatória do extrato de Callicostella pallida incorporada a um sistema microemulsionado

Abstract

The use of Bryophytes for therapeutic purposes has been little explored, although some studies describe the presence of promising bioactive compounds in this group, successfully applied to combat diseases. In this context, a preliminary, exploratory and investigative study was carried out to evaluate the rheological parameters and antioxidant capacity promoted by extracts obtained from this group in human blood and in tumor cells of the MCF-7 lineage. Subsequently, a specific analysis of the extract obtained from the species Callicostella pallida (CP) incorporated into a microemulsified system (CP+ME) on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) was carried out in human blood mononuclear cells (MN) as well as in coculture between (MCF-7+MN). MCF-7 were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection and MN cells from volunteer donors. For the rheological characterization, the MCR 102- Modular Compact Rheometer was used, superoxide radical release tests (O2 •- ) and analysis of the supernatant were performed to investigate the activity of the Copper-Zinc Superoxide Dismutase (Cu-Zn-SOD) enzyme, flow cytometry for detection of apoptosis and necrosis index, quantification of IL-4 and TNF-α cytokines and cell viability index. There was no change in the viscosity curve pattern of blood and MCF-7 cells when the extracts were tested. Although low levels of Cu-Zn-SOD activity were observed in blood and MCF-7 cells, there was a strong negative correlation between Cu-Zn-SOD activity and viscosity. When comparing the indices of O2 •- release and Cu-Zn-SOD activity, an antioxidant effect promoted by the extract of C. pallida was observed in MN cells, and when incorporated into the microemulsified release system, this property was preserved. When the microemulsion/extract system was administered, there was a significant increase in the pro-oxidant capacity and an increase in the production of TNF-α in the coculture and in MCF-7 cells, which promoted an increase in apoptosis. The extract of the species C. pallida has antioxidant activity and the microemulsified system provides a protective effect to potential bioactive compounds present in the extract, and the microemulsion/extract system promotes an increase in apoptosis possibly induced by extrinsic activation via TNF-α. Therefore, the C. pallida extract, and the microemulsified/extract system can be considered promising for future therapeutic applications and further investigations are needed.