Longo Francesco, Attanzio Alessandro, Marretta Laura, Luparello Claudio, Indelicato Serena, Bongiorno David, Barone Giampaolo, Tesoriere Luisa, Giardina Ilenia Concetta, Abruscato Giulia, Perlotti Manuela, Hornsby Lucie Branwen, Arizza Vincenzo, Vazzana Mirella, Vizzini Aiti, Martino Chiara, Listro Angelica, Queiroz Vinicius, Fabbrizio Antonio, Ciaccio Paolo Salvatore Francesco, Cascioferro Stella Maria, Di Gaudio Francesca, Mauro Manuela
Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Mar Drugs. 2025 Jan 17;23(1):45. doi: 10.3390/md23010045.
In recent years, the invasive Atlantic blue crab () has increased its spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea, threatening native biodiversity and local economies. This study aimed to valorize sampled in Sicily by utilizing its exoskeleton as a source of chitosan, astaxanthin, and bio-phenolic compounds. These biomolecules were evaluated for their reducing, radical scavenging, and antitumor activity. The ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the free radical scavenging activity against radical 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were significantly higher for chitosan (3.16 ± 0.10 mg AAE/g and 8.1 ± 0.10 µmol TE/g). No significant differences were observed among the tested biomolecules in their activity in scavenging the radical 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). Both bio-phenolic compounds and astaxanthin exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity on CaCo-2 (IC = 12.47 and 18 µg/mL) and HepG2 (IC = 10.25 and 1.26 µg/mL) cell lines, while only bio-phenols showed no cytotoxic effect on differentiated CaCo-2 cells up to 20 µg/mL. These findings highlight the value of blue crab by-products in supporting a circular economy, offering a sustainable approach to managing this invasive species while providing bioactive compounds with promising medical and nutraceutical applications.
近年来，入侵性的大西洋蓝蟹（）在整个地中海的扩散范围不断扩大，对当地生物多样性和地方经济构成威胁。本研究旨在通过将在西西里岛采集的蓝蟹外骨骼作为壳聚糖、虾青素和生物酚类化合物的来源，实现其价值最大化。对这些生物分子的还原、自由基清除和抗肿瘤活性进行了评估。壳聚糖对铁离子的还原抗氧化能力（FRAP）和对2,2-二苯基-1-苦基肼自由基（DPPH）的自由基清除活性显著更高（分别为3.16±0.10 mg AAE/g和8.1±0.10 µmol TE/g）。在所测试的生物分子中，在清除2,2'-偶氮双（3-乙基苯并噻唑啉-6-磺酸）（ABTS）自由基的活性方面未观察到显著差异。生物酚类化合物和虾青素对CaCo-2细胞系（IC = 12.47和18 µg/mL）和HepG2细胞系（IC = 10.25和1.26 µg/mL）均表现出剂量依赖性细胞毒性，而只有生物酚类化合物在浓度高达20 µg/mL时对分化的CaCo-2细胞没有细胞毒性作用。这些发现凸显了蓝蟹副产品在支持循环经济方面的价值，为管理这种入侵物种提供了一种可持续的方法，同时提供了具有前景的医学和营养保健应用的生物活性化合物。
