Anticancer and antioxidant activities of l- asparaginase produced by local Weissella paramesenteroides MN2C2 strain

Cancer is a major leading cause of death worldwide. However, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were found to produce different anticancer agents, such as L-asparaginase (ASNase), which effectively contribute against the cancer cells growth. This study aimed for the production, partial purification, characterization and evaluation of both anticancer and antioxidant properties of ASNase from Weissella paramesenteroides MN2C2. The maximal ASNase production conditions were found to be reached when 10% (v/v) of the strain was inoculated in MRS medium of pH 7, then statically incubated for 48h at 37 degrees C. The enzyme was precipitated by ammonium sulfate at 20-60% saturation giving 69.7 % recovery and 1.7 purification fold. The partially purified ASNase (PPASNase) showed molecular weight of 36 kDal, using SDS-PAGE investigation, as well as Km and Vmax of 4.41 mM and 130.72 U/ml/min respectively. The maximum activity of PPASNase was obtained at 35 degrees C and pH of 7.0 and was mostly retained at a wide range of temperature (20-60 degrees C) and pH (2-10). The anticancer effect of the PPASNase was tested against different cell lines. The most optimum IC50 of 0.135 mg/ml was recorded against Caco-2 cells, while higher IC50 values of 1.034, 4.5 and 1.636 mg/ml were obtained when tested against HepG-2, MCF-7 and A549 respectively. The PPASNase showed excellent antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 235.8 mu g/ml. The tested strain was also able to participate in the production of yoghurt with enhanced quality, which consequently comprises a number of health beneficial bioactive compounds. These results demonstrated that the probiotic W. paramesenteroides MN2C2 is a very promising microorganism for both pharmaceutical and nutritional uses.