Preliminary study of the in vitro antiproliferative effect of a hydroethanolic extract from the subtropical seaweed Turbinaria ornata (Turner J. Agardh) on a human non-small-cell bronchopulmonary carcinoma line (NSCLC-N6)

An unusual sulfated fucan-like polysaccharide containing aminosugar constit uent was isolated from the brown Fucales, Turbinaria ornata. Its antiprolif erative effect on asynchronous cells of a human non-small-cell bronchopulmo nary carcinoma line (NSCLC-N6) was studied in vitro. The kinetics of cell g rowth further to the continuous exposure of cells to T. ornata extract was investigated and the changes in the cell cycle were observed using flow-cyt ometry. Cell growth appeared to be inhibited in the G1 phase. Altogether ou r observations suggest a triggering of the terminal differentiation of canc erous cells by this fucan-like polysaccharide.