Abstract
Some diet profiles are associated with the risk of developing cancer; however, some nutrients show protective effects. Porphyra umbilicalis is widely consumed, having a balanced nutritional profile; however, its potential for cancer chemoprevention still needs comprehensive studies. In this study, we incorporated P. umbilicalis into the diet of mice transgenic for the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), which spontaneously develop pre-malignant and malignant lesions, and determined whether this seaweed was able to block lesion development. Forty-four 20-week-old HPV+/− and HPV−/− mice were fed either a base diet or a diet supplemented with 10% seaweed. At the end of the study, skin samples were examined to classify HPV16-induced lesions. The liver was also screened for potential toxic effects of the seaweed. Blood was used to study toxicological parameters and to perform comet and micronucleus genotoxicity tests. P. umbilicalis significantly reduced the incidence of pre-malignant dysplastic lesions, completely abrogating them in the chest skin. These results suggest that P. umbilicalis dietary supplementation has the potential to block the development of pre-malignant skin lesions and indicate its antigenotoxic activity against HPV-induced DNA damage. Further studies are needed to establish the seaweed as a functional food and clarify the mechanisms whereby this seaweed blocks multistep carcinogenesis induced by HPV.
Highlights
Seaweeds are an important nutritional resource in many parts of the world and have various health-promoting biological activities [1,2]
The present study addresses, for the first time, the potential of P. umbilicalis as a functional food to block the development of human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced pre-malignant dysplastic lesions through its incorporation into the diet of
There were no significant differences in body weight between groups at any time point, and food intake was similar throughout the experiment
Summary
Seaweeds are an important nutritional resource in many parts of the world and have various health-promoting biological activities [1,2]. Seaweeds contain high amounts of vitamins, fibers, and minerals, potentially contributing to a balanced diet if consumed regularly [5]. They are a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antiviral bioactivities [1,6], which make seaweeds popular functional foods for disease prevention [7,8]. Some seaweeds contain natural compounds with significant pharmacological potential for cancer prevention and treatment [9,10]. P. umbilicalis is used as food and is appreciated for its unusually high protein content, vitamins, and fibers [12]
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