Searching for antigenotoxic properties of marine macroalgae dietary supplementation against endogenous and exogenous challenges

The functional characterization of marine macroalgae toward their potential to strength genome protection is still scarce. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the antigenotoxic potential of <i>Ulva rigida, Fucus vesiculosus</i>, and <i>Gracilaria</i> species in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> following dietary exposure and adopting the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART). All macroalgae displayed a genoprotection activity, namely against an exogenous challenge (streptonigrin). The action against subtler endogenous pressures was also noted indicating that supplementation level is a critical factor. <i>Gracilaria</i> species provided ambivalent indications, since 10% of <i>G. vermiculophylla</i> inhibited the egg laying and/or larvae development, while 10% of <i>G. gracilis</i> promoted spontaneous genotoxicity. The effects of <i>U. rigida</i> were modulated (in intensity) by the growing conditions, demonstrating higher genoprotection against streptonigrin-induced damage when grown in an aquaculture-controlled system, while the effectiveness against spontaneous genotoxicity was more apparent in specimens grown under wild conditions. In contrast, <i>F. vesiculosus</i> did not produce significant differences in its potential under varying growing conditions. Overall, these findings shed some light on the macroalgae ability toward genome protection, contributing to the development of algaculture industry, and reinforcing the concept of functional food and its benefits.

海洋大型藻类增强基因组保护潜能的功能表征研究仍鲜有报道。因此，本研究旨在通过饮食暴露方式，采用体细胞突变与重组试验（SMART），评估硬石莼（Ulva rigida）、泡叶藻（Fucus vesiculosus）及江蓠属（Gracilaria）物种在黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）中的抗遗传毒性潜力。所有受试大型藻类均展现出基因保护活性，尤其可抵御外源性胁迫（链黑菌素，streptonigrin）。研究同时观测到受试藻类对温和内源性胁迫的防护作用，这表明藻类添加浓度是关键影响因素。江蓠属物种则表现出双向效应：10%浓度的细基江蓠（Gracilaria vermiculophylla）会抑制产卵及/或幼虫发育，而10%浓度的纤细江蓠（Gracilaria gracilis）则会诱发自发性遗传毒性。硬石莼的防护效果受栽培条件调控：在水产养殖可控体系中培养的硬石莼，对链黑菌素诱导的遗传损伤展现出更强的基因保护活性；而在野生环境下培养的样本，其抵御自发性遗传毒性的效果则更为显著。与之相反，泡叶藻的防护潜力在不同栽培条件下未出现显著差异。总体而言，本研究结果为阐明大型藻类的基因组保护能力提供了新的科学见解，有助于藻类养殖产业的发展，并进一步强化了功能食品及其益处的相关理念。