Inhibitory Effects of Crude and Filtered Extracts from Oral Disk of Sea Anemone (Stichodactyla haddoni) on MCF-7 Cell Line

Sea anemones are toxic sedentary invertebrates that are often present in the intertidal zone. In this study, cytotoxic effects of the crude extract and its fractions from the oral disk of Stichodactyla haddoni on breast cancer cell line MCF-7 were investigated. Samples were collected from the intertidal zone in the Persian Gulf. Phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and Millipore filters were used to prepare the crude extract and its fractions, respectively. MCF-7 cells were exposed to the crude extract or one of its five fractions, (with molecular weights < 3 kDa to > 100 kDa) at concentrations of 200 to 1400 μg/mL for 24 to 48 hours. All treatments inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cancer cells. The highest inhibitory effect belonged to fractions 2 and 5, with 85 and 81.3% lethality, respectively. These fractions with the concentration of 1200 and 1400 μg/mL had the most anticancer effects against MCF-7. The 1200 μg/mL concentration of fraction 5 containing peptides < 3 kDa is recommended for separation and purification of its components for pharmacological studies to control breast cancer.