Effects of elicitation on fatty acid bioproduction and cytotoxicity evaluation of callus cultures from Cereus hildmannianus

Cereus hildmannianus is an ornamental plant with various food and medicinal applications. Plant biotechnology is an attractive approach for metabolite production under controlled conditions, and elicitation is considered a highly effective strategy for increasing the production of bioactive compounds. The present study investigated the effects of the elicitors, sucrose (0.03–0.23 mol), salicylic (50–200 µmol) and jasmonic acids (50–200 µmol) on fatty acid (FA) production in callus cultures of C. hildmannianus . Gas chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectrometry or a flame ionization detector were used to determine the FA profiles of callus directly or of their extracts. Furthermore, cytotoxic activity of the extracts was evaluated. In total, 30 FA were identified; the highest numbers and concentrations of FA were observed following the direct esterification of the samples of callus that had been induced with 0.06 mol of sucrose (Suc0.06), followed by those that had been induced with 50 µmol of salicylic acid (Sa50) and 150 µmol of jasmonic acid (Ja150). In the analysis of the extracts, the greatest elicitation effect was observed in those of callus elicited with 0.06 mol of sucrose (Suc0.06E), where the production of 19 FA was increased, followed by those from the 50 µmol of salicylic acid treatment (Sa50E). In particular, the myristoleic (0.22 mg g − 1 dry weight [DW], Suc0.06E), palmitic (7.66 and 2.77 mg g − 1 DW for Suc0.06E and Sa50E), linoleic (1.97 and 1.05 mg g − 1 DW for Suc0.06E and Sa50E), α-linolenic (0.16 mg g − 1 DW, Suc0.06E), oleic (0.11 mg g − 1 DW, Suc0.06E), and arachidonic acids (3.88 and 1.59 mg g − 1 DW for Suc0.06E and Sa50E) can be highlighted. The highest cytotoxic activity (CC 50 ) against CaCo-2 tumor cells was achieved with Sa50E (261 µg mL − 1 ), Ja150E (263 µg mL − 1 ), and Suc0.06E (367 µg mL − 1 ) in comparison with that of non-elicited callus extracts (NECE; 516 µg mL − 1 ), which resulted in an improved selectivity index (SI) towards these cells over non-tumor cells (0.45 for NECE, 0.96 for Sa50E, and 1.10 for Ja150E). In summary, the elicitors were able to alter the production of FA in callus cultures of C. hildmannianus and improve the cytotoxicity and SI of the extracts. These results are promising for the clean and sustainable bioproduction of bioactive FA with food and pharmaceutical applications.