Structure and anticancer activity of native and modified polysaccharides from brown alga Dictyota dichotoma

The laminaran DdL and fucoidan DdF were obtained from the brown alga Dictyota dichotoma. DdF was a sulfated (28.9%) and acetylated heteropolysaccharide containing fucose, galactose, mannose and glucose (57.9, 20.4, 12.4 and 9.2 mol%, respectively). DdL was a 1,3;1,6-β-d-glucan with the main chain built from 1,3-linked glucose residues and single glucose residue in branches at C6 (one branch on three glucose residues of the main chain). Sulfated (43.7%) laminaran DdLs was obtained from DdL by sulfation. It was determined that sulfates occur at C2, C4 and C6 of glucose residues. The anticancer effect of DdF, DdL, and DdLs (200 μg/mL) was studied in vitro on colon cancer cells HCT-116, HT-29, and DLD-1. The effect of polysaccharides (40 μg/mL) on colony formation of DLD-1 cancer cells after irradiation (4 Gy) was investigated first. All polysaccharides showed a synergistic effect with X-ray irradiation against cancer cells, decreasing the amount and size of cancer cells colonies.