Therapeutic potential of fucoidan in cervical cancer as a modulatory adjuvant: In vivo and in vitro study

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic adjuvant potential of fucoidan in cervical cancer and to evaluate its efficacy in combination with immunotherapy. Methods: Fucoidan extracted from Fucus vesiculosus was dissolved in phosphate buffered saline and used to treat TC-1 cervical cancer cells in vitro as well as tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice in vivo . Mice were divided into four groups: the vehicle control group, the mRNA therapy-alone group, the fucoidan-only group, and the combination group. MAPK signaling proteins (p-ERK, T-ERK, p-p38) were analyzed by Western blotting assays. T cell surface markers and intracellular cytokines in splenocytes were assessed by flow cytometry, and plasma cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. Results: Fucoidan decreased the p-ERK/T-ERK ratio and p-p38. Fucoidan combined with mRNA therapy did not significantly affect CD4 + T-cell activation but reduced CD8 + T-cell activation compared with mRNA therapy alone. MCP-1 and IFN-γ were significantly reduced in the combination therapy group compared with mRNA therapy alone, while IL-6, TNF-α, perforin, and granzyme B did not show significant changes between the two groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that fucoidan could inhibit excessive T cell activation and cytokine production by suppressing MAPK p-p38 protein expression.