In this blog, I would like to discuss Human Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Cells. Even though this cancer type is known for very low incidence, the prognosis is hard to predict. Hence, I would like to share how Fucoidan affects the mucoepidermoid carcinoma cells based on Hang-Eun Lee and colleagues’ research.

Mucinous epidermoid cancer incidence is 0.1 in 100,000 and 5% of all salivary gland tumors. Although rare, it accounts for 20% of salivary gland malignancies and is the most common malignant tumor of salivary glands in adults as well as children.

According to “Fucoidan induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in MC3 human mucoepidermoid carcinoma cells (MEC)” by Hang-Eun Lee et al., Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide present in brown algae. These are known to have and also identified with multiple biological effects such as antitumor, immunomodulation, antiviral, and anticoagulation. There are preventable results on the cancer cells with the secondary fucoidan effect. In this study, they evaluated Fucoidan’s impact on human mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

“To investigate the anticancer benefits of Fucoidan, the growth-inhibitory effect of Fucoidan in the MC-3 cell line was assessed first. Cells were treated with 20, 50, and 100 μg/mL of Fucoidan in MC3 cells for 48 hours. The results proved that Fucoidan induced morphological changes of the MC3 cells, and the proliferation of the cells was reduced significantly in a concentration-dependent manner (Fig.1A). As shown in (Fig. 1B), cells treated with Fucoidan have checked apoptosis by observing cell membrane (fragmentation and agglomerative) under a microscope. Next, we investigated the apoptosis-inducing mechanism of MC3 cells. The apoptotic activity of Fucoidan was determined by evaluating the protease called “caspase.” When Fucoidan was treated by MC3 cells, increased expression of the activated caspase three and cleaved PARP level was detected. (PARP: Protein involves DNA repair and programmed cell death). Hence, Fucoidan induces MC3 cells’ apoptosis through the activation of caspase. (Fig. 2)

As for cancer cells, Mcl-1 (induce myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein) overexpress and suppress caspase activation and induction of apoptosis. MC3 cells also express Mcl-1, but the expression of Mcl-1 decreased significantly with Fucoidan treated in a concentration-dependent manner. (Fig. 3)

This result indicated that Fucoidan suppresses MC3 cells (human mucoepidermoid carcinoma) and induces apoptotic cell death in MC3 cells.

In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time, this study confirmed that Fucoidan could induce apoptotic cell death of human mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC). Thus Fucoidan may be a promising dietary compound for treating human mucoepidermoid carcinoma.