The green microalga Tetraselmis suecica reduces oxidative stress and induces repairing mechanisms in human cells.

Green microalgae contain many active pigments such as carotenoids having antioxidant and protective activity on human cells. Here we investigate the biological activity of an ethanol/water extract of the marine green microalga Tetraselmis suecica containing high levels of carotenoids such as the xanthophylls lutein, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, antheraxanthin and loroxanthin esters. This extract has a strong antioxidant and repairing activity in the human lung cancer cell line (A549) as shown by the increased expression of dehydrocholesterol reductase-24 (DHCR24) and prostaglandin reductase 1 (PTGR1) genes and proteins. The extract also reduces prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels in cells damaged by H2O2 and has tissue repairing effects on reconstructed human epidermal tissue cells (EpiDermTM) indicating a potential cosmeceutical activity of this microalgal species.