Sargassum thunbergii extract inhibits MMP-2 and -9 expressions related with ROS scavenging in HT1080 cells

Antioxidative and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitory effects of methanolic extract from Sargassum thunbergii were investigated in HT1080 cells. This extract suppressed the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal intensity on generation of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) method. Also, treatment with this extract inhibited radical simulated oxidation of membrane lipids and proteins in a dose-dependent manner. These results revealed that S. thunbergii extract has excellent scavenging abilities in ROS-induced damage. Moreover, this extract led to the reduction of the expression levels of MMP-2 and -9 in gelatin zymography, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western bolt analysis. Systematic separation by diverse chromatographic methods led to the isolation of sargahydroquinoic acid and sargachromanols (1–3). Polyunsaturated fatty acids were identified by gas chromatographic analysis. Therefore, S. thunbergii can be developed as therapeutic potential antioxidant and MMP inhibitor, closely related to ROS, which can be traceable to sargahydroquinoic acid, sargachromanols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in S. thunbergii.