Abstract
The present study was aimed to investigate the composition and contents and the major lipophilic compounds, including the sterols, fatty acids, and tocols of shellfish species. Moreover, to explore the antitumor activity of these lipophilic constituents, their cytotoxicity potentials were determined against five different human cancer cells, including colon carcinoma (HCT116), epithelial melanoma (A2058), glioblastoma multiforme (T98G), lung carcinoma (A549), and adenocarcinoma (HeLa). The results show a significant variation in the contents and composition of lipophilic constituents among the studied species. The highest omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were recorded from arrow squid and pacific oysters, accounting for 53.2% and 53.0% of their total fatty acids, respectively. However, the highest cholesterol content was also recorded in arrow squid (154.4 mg/100 g; 92.6% of total sterols). In contrast, in the Japanese littleneck, Yesso scallop, and common orient clam, cholesterol was just 17.1%, 18.3%, and 18.9% of total sterols, respectively, making them the richest source of non-cholesterol sterols (NCS). Lipids extracted from shellfish species showed ABTS+•- and DPPH•-scavenging activities. In the cytotoxicity analysis, lipids extracted from the Argentine red shrimp showed the highest cytotoxicity against glioblastoma multiforme T98G cells, with an IC50 value of 12.3 µg/mL. The composition and cytotoxicity data reported herein may help explore the nutritional and anticancer potentials of shellfish species.
Highlights
Shellfish species are the key dietary source of omega-3(n-3) very-long-chain (VLC)-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mainly eicosapentaenoic (EPA; C20:5n3), and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA; C22:6n3), which play a crucial role in reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
11 shellfish species were analyzed for their compositions of sterols utilizing gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) after derivatization with trimethylsiloxy groups [TMS; −O-Si(CH3 )3 ]
Both DPPH and ABTS assays are commonly classified as electron transfer (ET) reactions, these two radicals may be deactivated either by direct reduction through ET mechanisms or by radical quenching via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) [47]
Summary
(n-3) very-long-chain (VLC)-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mainly eicosapentaenoic (EPA; C20:5n3), and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA; C22:6n3), which play a crucial role in reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Though with the richness of VLC-n-3 PUFAs, shellfish are considered a vital component of a healthy diet, the high cholesterol content of some species is generally cited as a reason to limit their intake. Antioxidants 2021, 10, 1629 are unique to marine species [4], derived from the food they consume (e.g., microalgae) and from endogenous metabolism. Plant-derived sterols (called phytosterols) are well known to reduce low-density plasma lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels [5,6,7] and thereby lower the risk of CVD. As antioxidants, phytosterols are well-known to scavenge harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) [8]. Animal and human studies have demonstrated the anticancer [9] and anti-inflammatory [10] effects of phytosterols
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