Avaliação de efeitos biológicos da sericina em linhagem celular de câncer de pulmão humano

Abstract

Lung cancer is highly lethal and smoking is an important risk factor. Non-small cell tumor is the most common, less aggressive type of lung carcinoma and treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. However, late diagnosis, due to the absence of signs and symptoms in the early stages of the disease, makes the survival rate low. In this sense, the search for new chemical substances with characteristics of selectivity, effectiveness and low toxicity have been investigated in the treatment of cancer. Studies show that sericin, a protein extracted from silkworm cocoons, exhibits anti-tumor and anticarcinogenic activity in colon and skin cancer cells, stimulating apoptosis and disrupting the cell cycle, and protecting normal cells against oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation . Thus, the therapeutic potential of sericin has raised interest in evaluating its effect on non-small cell lung cancer cell line. The studies were conducted in culture, where the effects of silk protein were evaluated: on cell viability, by neutral red assays and tetrazolium - MTT cytotoxicity; in the apoptotic potential, with annexin-5 and Alexa Fluor® and Propidium Iodide assays; and in cell migration by the Wound Healing model assay. Low doses of sericin were able to increase lysosomal viability, reduce mitochondrial viability, increase apoptosis and cell migration, while high doses of sericin exponentially reduced cell migration and did not alter the rate of apoptosis / necrosis of cancer cells. Sericin is a biomaterial that causes biological effects on the cell line tested, and can be used to increase lysosomal viability, reduce mitochondrial function, increase apoptosis at low doses and inhibit high-dose cell migration.