The Red Seaweed <i>Grateloupia turuturu</i> Prevents Epidermal Dysplasia in HPV16-Transgenic Mice
José Almeida,
Tiago Ferreira,
Susana Santos,
Maria J. Pires,
Rui M. Gil da Costa,
Rui Medeiros,
Margarida M.S.M. Bastos,
Maria J. Neuparth,
Ana I. Faustino-Rocha,
Helena Abreu,
Rui Pereira,
Mário Pacheco,
Isabel Gaivão,
Eduardo Rosa,
Paula A. Oliveira
Affiliations
José Almeida
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Tiago Ferreira
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Susana Santos
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Maria J. Pires
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Rui M. Gil da Costa
Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production (Inov4Agro), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Rui Medeiros
Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI-IPOP)/RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto. CCC), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Margarida M.S.M. Bastos
LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Maria J. Neuparth
Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Ana I. Faustino-Rocha
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Helena Abreu
ALGAplus, Lda., PCI-Creative Science Park, 3830-352 Ílhavo, Portugal
Rui Pereira
ALGAplus, Lda., PCI-Creative Science Park, 3830-352 Ílhavo, Portugal
Mário Pacheco
Portugal CESAM—Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies and Department of Biology, Santiago University Campus, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Isabel Gaivão
Department of Genetic and Biotechnology, CECAV, UTAD, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Eduardo Rosa
Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production (Inov4Agro), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Paula A. Oliveira
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
The role of dietary profiles in promoting or reducing the risk of multiple types of cancer is increasingly clear, driving the search for balanced foods and nutraceuticals. The red seaweed Grateloupia turuturu has been used as human food showing a balanced nutritional profile. This study aims to test in vivo chemopreventive effects of G. turuturu against cutaneous pre-malignant lesions in transgenic mice for the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16). Forty-four female HPV+/− or HPV−/− mice received a standard diet or were supplemented with 10% G. turuturu for 22 consecutive days. Cutaneous lesions (ear and chest skin) were identified histologically. Complementarily, the weights and histology of internal organs as well as blood biochemical and DNA integrity parameters were also assessed. G. turuturu consistently reduced the incidence of epidermal dysplasia induced by HPV16 on both cutaneous sites. Moreover, biochemical, DNA integrity and histological analyses confirmed G. turuturu edibility as no signs of toxicity were found. Dietary supplementation with G. turuturu is an effective and safe chemopreventive strategy in this model.