Antitumor and antimicrobial activity of fatty acids from green microalga Coelastrella sp. BGV

Abstract

Green microalgae are a valuable source of biologically active substances with antitumor and antimicrobial effects. Coelastrella sp. BGV is a strain of green microalga isolated in Bulgaria. The aim of the study was to analyze the fatty acid profile of Coelastrella sp. BGV and to assess the antitumor and antimicrobial activities of the extracted free fatty acids. The fatty acid content of a total lipid extract from the green microalga Coelastrella sp. BGV was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The antitumor activity of FAs against human HeLa tumor cells was estimated by MTT testing and fluorescence microscopy methods. The antimicrobial activity of FAs against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and the fungal pathogen Candida albicans was studied by the disk diffusion and microdilution methods. Eleven fatty acids were identified in the lipid extract of Coelastrella sp. BGV, of which the monounsaturated oleic acid (18:1) was present in the largest amount - 31.7%, followed by the polyunsaturated linoleic acid (18:2) - 25.9% and saturated palmitic acid (16:0) - 19.2%. The ratio of total unsaturated to saturated fatty acids was 3:1, and the monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio was 1:1. The extracted FAs showed statistically significant antiproliferative activity against HeLa tumor cells and induced morphological changes in the cell and nucleus characteristic of early and/or late apoptosis. FAs showed varying degrees of antibacterial and antifungal activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative pathogens and C. albicans . The results obtained are promising in terms of the therapeutic potential of FAs from Coelastrella sp. BGV against tumor cells and against Gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli UPEC, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae ) and the fungal pathogen Candida albicans . • The fatty acid profile of green microalga strain Coelastrella sp. BGV was analyzed. • The antitumor and antimicrobial effects of the isolated fatty acids was assessed. • The lipid extract had a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. • The fatty acids inhibited the growth of HeLa tumor cells and induced apoptosis. • The fatty acids had antimicrobial and antifungal activity.