Apoptosis-inducing Activity of Hot Water Extracts from the Sea Cucumber in Human Colon Tumor Cells

To study the anti-tumor activity of sea cucumber extracts, human colon adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cells were exposed to hot water extract of sea cucumber. Morphological changes with apoptotic bodies were observed in the cells treated with the extract. We demonstrated the induction of apoptosis using phosphatidylserine translocation (APOPercentage Assay kit), terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL), and DNA fragmentation observed as DNA ladder. These results show that apoptosis was induced by a high molecular weight fraction in a dose dependent manner. These data suggest that water soluble and high molecular weight compounds from sea cucumber might exhibit anti-tumor activity by triggering apoptosis. The apoptosis-inducing activity may contribute to cancer chemopreventive effects of sea cucumber.