Anti-Inflammatory and Apoptotic Signaling Effect of Fucoxanthin on Benzo(A)Pyrene-Induced Lung Cancer in Mice

Fucoxanthin is a potent carotenoid present in various natural sources, especially seaweeds; it exhibits antineoplastic, antimutagenic, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, and anti-infiammatory effects. Fucoxanthin's role in chemoprevention of lung cancer using a benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P-) -induced lung cancer mouse model is presented here. Oral administration of fucoxanthin significantly decreased tumor progression in mice exposed to B[a]P. The obtained data correlated with increased antioxidant capacity and apoptosis and decreased tumor marker levels and antiapoptotic molecules. Fucoxanthin-treated animals showed increased apoptosis compared to tumor-induced mice by increased expression of caspases 9 and 3 and decreased expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl2 protein. Further, the antiproliferative mechanism of fucoxanthin in mice was detected in an immune histochemical study by the decreased expression of PCNA. Finally, histopathological analysis revealed that fucoxanthin shows potent anticancer effects by bringing back the damaged tissue treated with B[a] P. The anticancer effect of fucoxanthin may be attributed to several independent mechanisms which play important roles in the prevention of cancer development. There is also substantial evidence to show that fucoxanthin acts indirectly by increasing the antioxidant capacity of affected tissue and preparing it to cope up with oxidative stress, which was proved in our study. It was clearly established that fucoxanthin acts as a persuasive anticancer drug against lung cancer.