It has been recently proven that xylooligosaccharides (XOS) with prebiotic properties have diverse beneficial biological effects including immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. The present article focused on the chemical and biological evaluation of corn-derived commercially available XOS and aimed to elucidate their cytotoxicity and inhibitory potential against tumor cells. Spectrophotometric chemical analyses, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses were performed. Antioxidant activity was determined by measuring the oxygen radical absorbance capacity and hydroxyl radical averting capacity. In vitro cytotoxicity assays with human cell lines derived from normal and tumor tissues, assessments of ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential specific staining, cytokine assays, and molecular docking were used to evaluate the biological activity of XOS. The sample showed significant antioxidant activity, and it was determined that most xylose oligomers in it are composed of six units. XOS exhibited antitumor activity with pronounced inhibitory effect on lysosomes, but mitochondrial functionality was also affected. The production of proinflammatory cytokines by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated U-937 cells was reduced by XOS treatment, which suggested the involvement of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated signaling in the mechanism of XOS action. Molecular docking analyses confirmed the potential inhibitory interaction between the sample and TLR4. In addition, XOS treatment had significant tumor-cell-specific influence on the glutathione antioxidant system, affecting its balance and thus contributing to the inhibition of cellular viability. The present study elucidated the tumor-inhibitory potential of commercially available XOS that could be utilized in pharmaceutical and food industry providing disease-preventive and therapeutic benefits.
Keywords: antioxidant activity; antitumor activity; chemical characterization; in vitro cytotoxicity; xylooligosaccharides.