Effects of Bioactive Marine-Derived Liposomes on Two Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

Breast cancer is the leading ‎cause of death from cancer ‎among women. Higher ‎consumption ‎of ‎dietary ‎marine n-3 long-chain ‎polyunsaturated fatty acids ‎‎(LC-PUFAs) is associated ‎with a ‎‎lower risk of breast ‎cancer. Eicosapentaenoic ‎acid (EPA) and ‎docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ‎‎are ‎two n-3 LC-PUFAs found ‎in fish and exert anticancer ‎effects. In this study, ‎natural ‎marine-‎derived ‎lecithin that is rich in ‎various polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was extracted ‎from salmon heads and ‎‎transformed ‎into ‎nanoliposomes. These ‎nanoliposomes were ‎characterized and cultured ‎with ‎two breast ‎cancer ‎lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-‎‎231). The nanoliposomes ‎decreased the ‎proliferation ‎and ‎the stiffness of both ‎cancer cell types. These ‎results suggest that marine-derived lecithin possesses ‎‎anticancer properties, ‎which may have an impact ‎on developing new ‎‎liposomal delivery ‎‎strategies for breast cancer ‎treatment.