Assessment of Anti Cancerous Role of Hydroxamate Siderphore Isolated from Aspergillus nidulans

Abstract

Iron is among the most essential trace elements required for growth and proliferation of microbes as well as mammalian cells. Despite its abundance in the environment, its acquisition needs specialized approach since it is present in insoluble trivalent or oxyhydroxide ferric form. Iron absorption in humans is a tightly regulated process and iron homeostasis is maintained by numerous molecules including divalent metal transporters, transferrin, hepcidin and ferroportin. Microorganisms produce secondary metabolites in the form of non-ribosomal peptides called siderophores having low molecular weight for the purpose of iron acquisition. These molecules are known to bind and solubilize iron with high affinity and are divided into different classes based on structure namely catecholates, hydroxamates, carboxylates and mixed types. Initially siderophores have been identified in microbes including fungi, bacteria and cyanobacteria but later on siderophores from plants and mammalian cells were also reported and identified. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the major type of primary liver cancer and is caused by numerous factors including alcohol abuse, cirrhosis, viral infection and other liver associated diseases. It is among the leading causes of cancer related deaths worldwide and despite availability of treatment options more efficient and feasible approaches of its treatment are needed. In the present study, anticancer activity of siderophores from Aspergillus nidulans against hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 has been assessed. Fungi including Aspergillus spp. are known to produce siderophores under iron limited conditions. Siderophore was first detected in culture filtrate of A. nidulans growing in iron deprived media by universal Chrome Azurol Sulfonate assay.