C-Phycocyanin (C-PC)

C-Phycocyanin (C-PC) is a natural pigment protein extracted from blue-green algae such as Spirulina platensis, characterized by C-Phycocyanin unique blue appearance and commonly used as a natural coloring agent in food and cosmetics^[1]. Through C-Phycocyanin light absorption and energy transfer properties in blue-green algae, C-Phycocyanin can help us gain a deeper understanding of the photochemical processes of photosynthesis^[2]. C-Phycocyanin has antioxidant activity, capable of scavenging free radicals in the body and reducing cell damage caused by oxidative stress^[3]. C-Phycocyanin also has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, regulating the activity of immune cells and enhancing the body's immune response^[4].

In vitro, C-Phycocyanin (100–500μg/mL) pre-treatment of RGM-1 cells for 24 hours, followed by 3 hours of damage induction with Aspirin (21mM), significantly reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in cells. It also inhibited the DNA binding activity of NF-κB (p65), alleviated inflammatory responses, suppressed the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax and the activity of Caspase 3, and reduced the activation of the ERK and JNK signaling pathways, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects^[5]. C-Phycocyanin (10–50μM) pre-treatment of H292 non-small cell lung cancer cells for 48 hours significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis^[6].

In vivo, C-Phycocyanin (50mg/kg/d) was administered orally to Wistar rats induced with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). C-Phycocyanin significantly reduced AMI-induced cardiac damage, decreased levels of oxidative stress markers, reduced the expression of inflammatory markers, lowered the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, and alleviated AMI-induced histological abnormalities in myocardial tissue, including myofibrillar necrosis, interstitial edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration^[7]. C-Phycocyanin (25, 50, 100mg/kg) was administered orally to C57BL/6 mice models of bleomycin (5mg/kg)-induced pulmonary fibrosis for 28 days. C-Phycocyanin significantly improved the condition, enhanced lung function in mice, increased lung compliance and total lung capacity, reduced collagen deposition and inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, and decreased the expression of fibrosis-related proteins ^[8].

References:
[1] Liu R, Qin S, Li W. Phycocyanin: Anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022 Sep;153:113362.
[2] Squires AH, Moerner WE. Direct single-molecule measurements of phycocyanobilin photophysics in monomeric C-phycocyanin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Sep 12;114(37):9779-9784.
[3] Castro-Gerónimo VD, García-Rodríguez RV, Sánchez-Medina A, et al. C-Phycocyanin: A Phycobiliprotein from Spirulina with Metabolic Syndrome and Oxidative Stress Effects. J Med Food. 2024 Sep;27(9):807-813.
[4] Bannu SM, Lomada D, Gulla S, et al. Potential Therapeutic Applications of C-Phycocyanin. Curr Drug Metab. 2019;20(12):967-976.
[5] Liu YC, Chang CC, Matsui H, et al. C-Phycocyanin and Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides Protect against Aspirin-Induced Inflammation and Apoptosis in Gastric RGM-1 Cells. Nutrients. 2022 Dec 1;14(23):5113.
[6] Chaowen H, Dongxuan H, Dongsheng H, et al. C-Phycocyanin Suppresses Cell Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis by Regulating the AMPK Pathway in NCL-H292 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells. Folia Biol (Praha). 2022;68(1):16-24.
[7] Blas-Valdivia V, Moran-Dorantes DN, Rojas-Franco P, et al. C-Phycocyanin prevents acute myocardial infarction-induced oxidative stress, inflammation and cardiac damage. Pharm Biol. 2022 Dec;60(1):755-763.
[8] Hu W, Wang Y, Yang H, et al. C-phycocyanin reinforces autophagy to block pulmonary fibrogenesis by inhibiting lncIAPF biogenesis. Arch Pharm Res. 2024 Jul;47(7):659-674.

C-Phycocyanin (C-PC)是一种从螺旋藻等蓝藻中提取的天然色素蛋白，具有独特的蓝色外观，常被用作食品和化妆品中的天然着色剂^[1]。基于C-Phycocyanin在蓝藻中的光吸收和能量传递特性，可深入理解光合作用的光化学过程^[2]。C-Phycocyanin具有抗氧化活性，能够清除体内的自由基，减轻氧化应激对细胞的损伤^[3]。C-Phycocyanin还具抗炎和免疫调节作用，可以调节免疫细胞的活性，增强机体的免疫反应^[4]。

在体外，C-Phycocyanin（100–500μg/mL）预处理RGM-1细胞24小时后，再以阿司匹林（21mM）诱导损伤3小时，C-Phycocyanin显著降低细胞中促炎因子TNF-α和IL-6的分泌，同时抑制NF-κB（p65）DNA结合活性，减轻炎症反应，抑制促凋亡蛋白Bax的表达和Caspase 3的活性，降低ERK和JNK信号通路的激活，起到抗炎和抗凋亡作用^[5]。C-Phycocyanin（10–50μM）预处理H292非小细胞肺癌细胞48小时后，显著抑制细胞增殖和迁移，同时促进细胞凋亡^[6]。

在体内，C-Phycocyanin（50mg/kg/d）通过口服灌胃给药，用于处理诱导急性心肌梗死（AMI）的Wistar大鼠。C-Phycocyanin显著减少了AMI诱导的心脏损伤，降低了氧化应激标志物的水平，减少了炎症标志物的表达，降低了细胞凋亡相关蛋白的表达，并减轻了AMI诱导的心肌组织学异常变化，包括肌原纤维坏死、间质水肿和炎症细胞浸润^[7]。C-Phycocyanin（25、50、100mg/kg）通过口服灌胃给药，Bleomycin（5mg/kg）诱导的肺纤维化C57BL/6小鼠小鼠模型28天。C-Phycocyanin显著改善了，提高了小鼠的肺功能，增加了肺顺应性和总肺容量，减少了肺组织的胶原沉积和炎症细胞浸润，降低了纤维化标志蛋白的表达^[8]。