Anticancer Activity of Chitosan, Chitosan Derivatives, and Their Mechanism of Action

Table 2

Anticancer mechanism of action of chitosan in some potential target cells.

Compound	Target cells	Mechanism of action	Test	Outcome	Year	Ref.
Chitosan	MDA-MB-231	Permeation enhancement, lowering of MMP9 activity	In vitro and in vivo	Antimetastatic effect	2013; 2009	[4]; [78]
	T24 urinary bladder cell lines	Disruption of cell membrane, necrosis	In vitro	Antiproliferative effect	2013; 2001	[80]; [94]
Chitosan nano particles	Human hepato carcinoma	Nano particles mediated antiangiogenic action and impairment of VEGFR2 levels.	In vitro	Antiangiogenic effect	2010; 2015	[17]; [45]
	BEL7402, HT-29	Cell necrosis, decrease in MMP, induction of lipid peroxidation, enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect	In vitro	Inhibition of cellular proliferation	2012; 2007; 2017; 2017	[81]; [95]; [96]; [97]
MIF loaded chitosan nano particles	Solid tumor	Sustained release and enhancement of bioavailability of drug	In vivo	Drug accumulation and growth inhibition	2016	[79]
Oligochitosan, (N-Acetyl) chitohexaose	Sarcoma 180, HT- 29, HepG2	Immunoenhancement through increase in activity of NK cells, T cells, killer lymphocytes and cytokins.	In vivo and in vitro	Suppression of tumor growth	2004; 2013; 2012; 2009	[19]; [80]; [81]; [82]
LMWC/COS	SCC Ca9- 22	Cellular apoptosis, activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8, electrostatic interaction and endocytosis	In vitro	Inhibition of tumor growth and proliferation	2014; 2004; 2010; 2004	[13]; [92]; [93]; [16]
	SCC Ca9-22	Cytokine signaling cell cycle arrest, ROS activation	In vitro	cell senescence, inhibition of cell growth and proliferation	2014; 2003; 2010	[13]; [98]; [99]
	LLC cells	Inhibition of MMP-9	In vitro	Cell death and antiproliferation	2009	[82]
	HT-29	Increased activity of enzymes QR, GST and GSH.	In vitro	Increase in chemo preventive activity	2007	[105]
		Inhibition of NO and iNOS	In vitro	Decrease in tumor cells proliferation	2007	[106]
		Antiangiogenesis by heparanase inhibition	In vitro	Inhibition of tumor growth	2009	[107]
		Cytokines mediated MMP-2 reduction	In vitro	Reduction in tumor size	2007	[106]
					1999	[108]
	HUVECs	Inhibitory effect on LPS-induced IL-8 expression, LPS-induced HUVECs migration and U937 monocyte adhesion to HUVECs	In vitro	Tumor growth inhibition	2011	[113]
	EAT cells	Apoptosis through nucleosomal DNA fragmentation	In vivo	Decrease in volume of ascites	2005; 2004; 2002	[18]; [117]; [118]