129 / 2023-08-14 13:14:00

Cytotoxicity of Mangrove Endophytic Fungus against Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

mangrove endophytic fungi,secondary metabolites,colorectal cancer,MTT assay,apoptosis

Endophytic fungi are a group of host-associated fungal communities that live within living plant tissues, and usually do not cause pathogenic symptoms to their hosts. Mangrove-derived endophytic fungi can produce a diversity of secondary metabolites characterized by enormous structural diversity and biological activities, due to the excellent adaptation of mangrove plants to the extreme environmental stress at intertidal zones. There is a general lack of studies on endophytic fungi, but it is gaining attention in recent years, due to their high potential in producing various bioactive metabolites that can be used for biomedical applications, including in cancer research. Until today, cancer mortality rates remain high due to the inefficiency and adverse side effects of existing cancer therapies. Chemotherapy is still the most common way to treat cancers. However, the rising cost and severe side effects of the chemotherapeutic drugs present global challenges to cancer treatment access and outcomes. Therefore, more research on the use of natural bioactive agents in cancer therapies are needed to provide an alternative option for cancer patients. These bioactive compounds can act as adjuvant therapy to lower the risk of cancer recurrence and prolong patient survival. In the present study, endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves of Bruguiera cylindrica, a true mangrove species, and identified via DNA barcoding. A series of experiments were then conducted to examine the cancer-inhibiting properties of bioactive compounds isolated from the endophytic fungal isolates against colorectal cancer cell lines. Findings from this study could shed light on potential novel sources for drug discovery.