Exploring the Metabolic Profiling and Anticancer Activities of Red Sea Sponges <i>Echinodictyum asperum</i> and <i>Callyspongia siphonella</i> against Human Breast Cancer Cells: A Comparative Study.

ABSTRACT: Marine sponges are noteworthy sources of bioactive secondary metabolites that demonstrate fundamental functions in defense mechanisms and ecological interactions. This study focused on the extraction and characterization of metabolites from two sponge species, Echinodictyum asperum and Callyspongia siphonella, obtained from the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Methanol extraction generated EAE and CSE extracts, which were subjected to metabolic profiling, illuminating 44 identified metabolites involving fatty acids, sterols, terpenoids, long-chain amides, and alkaloids. The cytotoxic effects of both were assessed versus MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines, utilizing the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, with IC₅₀ values of about 2.7 μg/mL for CSE and 0.5 μg/mL for EAE on MCF-7 cells and 8.7 μg/mL for EAE and 45.3 μg/mL for CSE on MDA-MB-231 cells. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that both extracts induced apoptosis and necrosis across cell lines. Particularly, EAE induced the G2 phase arrest in MCF-7 cells, while CSE elevated the S phase population in both cell lines. As well, CSE boosted autophagy especially in MDA-MB-231 cells. Comparative analyses with the existing literature underscore the therapeutic potential of these sponge-derived metabolites in cancer medication. Molecular docking studies demonstrated robust binding affinities between selected metabolites and key targets involving MCL-1, BCL-2, and ERα. In conclusion, this research emphasizes the significant cytotoxic features of EAE and CSE extracts, proposing their potential purposes in cancer treatment via distinct mechanisms of action.

SUBMITTER: Abuzahrah SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11904698 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature