Blue Light Enhances the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Antitumor Potential of the Green Microalgae Coelastrella sp. BGV.

Green algae of the genus Coelastrella have attracted the attention of scientists due to their rich biochemical composition and potential for application in phytomedicine. The present study investigated the influence of light on the bioactive capacity of extracts from the Bulgarian strain of the green microalgae Coelastrella sp. BGV. Three LED lights were examined-red/blue (C1), blue (C2), and control white light (C3). The respective ethanol extracts were analyzed for the total content of phenolic antioxidants. The antimicrobial activity was tested using the disk-diffusion method against 10 microorganisms. The antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on cervical carcinoma HeLa and hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell lines, as well as non-tumorigenic embryonal fibroblasts BALB/3T3 control, were evaluated using a cell viability assay. The overall results highlighted blue light as a factor enhancing the antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxic activities of the C2 microalgal extract. Additionally, the investigated mechanism of the antitumor activity revealed a proapoptotic effect. In contrast, the C1 extract exhibited weaker activity and selectivity, while the C3 extract was the least active but demonstrated high cytotoxic selectivity. This study could contribute to expanding knowledge about the high biological potential of green microalgae and the development of biotechnological approaches for its regulation.