| Title | The Mucus of Actinia equina (Anthozoa, Cnidaria): An Unexplored Resource for Potential Applicative Purposes |
| Abstract | The mucus produced by many marine organisms is a complex mixture of proteins and polysaccharides forming a weak watery gel. It is essential for vital processes including locomotion, navigation, structural support, heterotrophic feeding and defence against a multitude of environmental stresses, predators, parasites, and pathogens. In the present study we focused on mucus produced by a benthic cnidarian, the sea anemone Actinia equina (Linnaeus, 1758) for preventing burial by excess sedimentation and for protection. We investigated some of the physico-chemical properties of this matrix such as viscosity, osmolarity, electrical conductivity, protein, carbohydrate, and total lipid contents. Some biological activities such as hemolytic, cytotoxic, and antibacterial lysozyme-like activities were also studied. The A. equina mucus is mainly composed by water (96.2% +/- 0.3%), whereas its dry weight is made of 24.2% +/- 1.3% proteins and 7.8% +/- 0.2% carbohydrates, with the smallest and largest components referable to lipids (0.9%) and inorganic matter (67.1%). The A. equina mucus matrix exhibited hemolytic activity on rabbit erythrocytes, cytotoxic activity against the tumor cell line K562 (human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia) and antibacterial lysozyme-like activity. The findings from this study improve the available information on the mucus composition in invertebrates and have implications for future investigations related to exploitation of A. equina and other sea anemones' mucus as a source of bioactive compounds of high pharmaceutical and biotechnological interest. |
| Source | Marine drugs 13 (8), pp. 5276–5296 |
| Keywords | mucusActinia equinaantibacterial activityhemolytic activitycytotoxicitytumor cell line K562 |
| Journal | Marine drugs |
| Editor | MDPI,, Basel, |
| Year | 2015 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.3390/md13085276 |
| Authors | Stabili, Loredana; Schirosi, Roberto; Parisi, Maria Giovanna; Piraino, Stefano; Cammarata, Matteo |
| Text | 337269 2015 10.3390/md13085276 ISI Web of Science WOS 000360625700030 mucus Actinia equina antibacterial activity hemolytic activity cytotoxicity tumor cell line K562 The Mucus of Actinia equina Anthozoa, Cnidaria An Unexplored Resource for Potential Applicative Purposes Stabili, Loredana; Schirosi, Roberto; Parisi, Maria Giovanna; Piraino, Stefano; Cammarata, Matteo Natl Res Council IAMC CNR; Array; Lachifarma Srl; Array; Natl Interuniv Consortium Marine Sci CoNISMa The mucus produced by many marine organisms is a complex mixture of proteins and polysaccharides forming a weak watery gel. It is essential for vital processes including locomotion, navigation, structural support, heterotrophic feeding and defence against a multitude of environmental stresses, predators, parasites, and pathogens. In the present study we focused on mucus produced by a benthic cnidarian, the sea anemone Actinia equina Linnaeus, 1758 for preventing burial by excess sedimentation and for protection. We investigated some of the physico chemical properties of this matrix such as viscosity, osmolarity, electrical conductivity, protein, carbohydrate, and total lipid contents. Some biological activities such as hemolytic, cytotoxic, and antibacterial lysozyme like activities were also studied. The A. equina mucus is mainly composed by water 96.2% / 0.3% , whereas its dry weight is made of 24.2% / 1.3% proteins and 7.8% / 0.2% carbohydrates, with the smallest and largest components referable to lipids 0.9% and inorganic matter 67.1% . The A. equina mucus matrix exhibited hemolytic activity on rabbit erythrocytes, cytotoxic activity against the tumor cell line K562 human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia and antibacterial lysozyme like activity. The findings from this study improve the available information on the mucus composition in invertebrates and have implications for future investigations related to exploitation of A. equina and other sea anemones mucus as a source of bioactive compounds of high pharmaceutical and biotechnological interest. 13 Published version Articolo in rivista MDPI, 1660 3397 Marine drugs Marine drugs Mar. drugs Marine drugs. loredana.stabili STABILI LOREDANA |
