Background: Melanoma is an invasive and highly lethal cancer with poor prognosis and resistance to current treatments. In melanoma, the signaling process of apoptosis is believed to be suppressed. Studies show that compounds isolated from sea snails have anti-cancer properties. Considering the cytotoxic effects of this extract in previous studies, the aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of methanolic extract of Persian Gulf snail Peronia peronii on cancerous skin cells and mitochondria isolated from melanoma induced C57BL/6 mice.
Methods: To evaluate the cytotoxic effects of methanolic extract of Persian Gulf snail Peronia peronii, Experiments were carried out to determine mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity (to determine IC50), mitochondrial swelling, mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, ROS production and cytochrome C outflow in cancerous skin mitochondria and finally the percentage of apoptotic phenotype in cancerous skin cells which were treated with concentrations of 2600, 1300 and 650 μg / ml of methanolic extract of Peronia peronii. Cancerous skin cells and mitochondria were isolated from melanoma induced C57BL / 6 mice.
Results: The results of this study showed that concentrations of 2600, 1300 and 650 μg / ml of methanolic extract of Persian Gulf snail Peronia peronii significantly increased mitochondrial swelling and ROS production in mitochondria isolated from melanoma cells, decreased mitochondria membrane potential, induced the release of cytochrome C and also induced apoptosis at a concentration of 1300 μg / ml (IC50) in cancerous melanocytes without effect on healthy cells. The highest and lowest effects were related to concentrations of 2600 and 650 μg / ml, respectively.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it seems that the methanolic extract of Persian Gulf snail Peronia peronii with its selective cytotoxic effects can play an effective role in induction of apoptosis and increasing ROS in canc