Asma Mostafapour - Department of Biology&Research Center for Animal Development Applied Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Javad Baharara - Professor of Research Center For Applied Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Elaheh Amini - Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

Melanoma is one of the most dangerous skin cancers, and its high mortality rates and lack of response to chemotherapy are the main challenges to its treatment. Many investigations have sought an anti-cancer treatment of a natural origin with the ability to control the melanoma cells to promote differentiation into the adult cells and inhibits of cell proliferation. The current study investigated the effects of dichloromethane extract taken from Brittle star (Ophiocoma erinaceuss) on the cancerous cells of B16F10 melanoma. B16F10 cells were cultivated in an RPMI 1640 culture environment. After 24 hours, they were treated with different concentrations of dichloromethane extract from Brittle star for periods of 24 and 48 hours. The distinctive effects on the cells were studied by reverse microscope, melanin test, and protoporphyrin IX test, and expression of the microphethalmia factor (MITF) and cytotoxic effects were assessed by MTT assessment and apoptosis analysis by flow cytometry. The morphological studies of cells, MTT test, and analysis of the cell cycle showed that doses less than 31 µg/ml of dichloromethane extracted from Brittle star could control the multiplication and distinction of melanoma cells, and higher doses could even result in their mortality. Investigations of cell marker differentiation increased melanin production, and protoporphyrin IX and MITF expression all showed differential effects of dichloromethane extract. Dichloromethane extracted from Brittle star (Ophiocoma erinaceus) can control the multiplication and differentiation of melanoma cells and can therefore be an appropriate candidate for anti-tumor studies.

differentiation, cancer, Brittle star, melanoma