Could Fucoxanthin Interaction with Lipid Rafts Mediate its Cytotoxicity in Cancer Cells?

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid present in brown microand macro algae, that induces apoptosis or autophagy in cancer cells grown in vitro. In vivo studies confirmed its interest as a natural anticancer compound, as it exerts antitumoral, antimetastatic and antiangiogenic activities in animal models. Studies focused on the pharmacology of fucoxanthin in cancer cells and tumors have revealed that it affects a wide panel of cellular, molecular and tissular processes, suggesting that its biological activity may be related in part to a nonspecific integration in cell membranes, and possible interaction with lipid rafts. Thus, preliminary data confirming this interaction of fucoxanthin with lipid rafts were obtained in mast cells and hepatoma WIF-B9 cells. We here discuss this hypothesis, in view of the critical function of lipid rafts in cancer cell survival, invasivity and communication with the tumoral microenvironment.