Ultrasonic Modified Sweet Potato Pectin Induces Apoptosis like Cell Death in Colon Cancer (HT-29) Cell Line

Pectin and especially modified citrus pectin possesses anticancer activity. Hence, the current study investigated anticancer activity of ultrasonic-modified sweet potato pectin (SPP) on HT-29 cells to assess its potential as a cancer therapeutic agent.The effect of ultrasonic treatment on SPP molecular weight, galacturonic acid content, degree of methoxylation, and neutral sugar was investigated. Moreover, the effect of sonicated variant on human HT-29 cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay, cell cytotoxicity, and apoptosis by Annexin V/PI flow cytometer and caspase-3 activity was studied.Sonication led up to seven-fold decrease in molecular weight. The degree of methoxylation (DM) decreased more than two-fold. Moreover, the galacturonic acid (GalA) content increased up to 92%, arabinose and galactose content increased. The SSPP inhibited cell proliferation with the IC