Chlorella vulgaris Induces Apoptosis of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) Cells

Objective: Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris), a unicellular green microalga, has been widely used as a food supplement and reported to have antioxidant and anticancer properties. The current study was designed to assess the cytotoxic, apoptotic, and DNA-damaging effects of C. vulgaris growth factor (CGF), hot water C. vulgaris extracts, inlung tumor A549 and NCI-H460 cell lines. Methods: A549 cells, NCI-H460 cells, and normal human fibroblasts were treated with CGF at various concentrations (0-300 mu g/ml) for 24 hr. The comet assay and gamma H2AX assay showed DNA damage in A549 and NCI-H460 cells upon CGF exposure. Evaluation of apoptosis by the TUNEL assay and DNA fragmentation analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis showed that CGF induced apoptosis in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Results: Chlorella vulgaris hot water extract induced apoptosis and DNA damage in human lung carcinoma cells. Conclusion: CGF can thus be considered a potential cytotoxic or genotoxic drug for treatment of lung carcinoma.