2026 Volume 34 Issue 2 Pages 56-64
Introduction: Tick salivary glands constitute a largely untapped reservoir of bioactive molecules with significant therapeutic potential. Here, we investigated the selective anticancer activity of salivary gland extract (SGE) from the tortoise tick Hyalomma aegyptium using cancer cell line, non-tumorigenic cells, and primary human tissue cultures.
Methods: The effects of Hyalomma aegyptium salivary gland extract (SGE; 200–600 ng protein/mL) on HeLa cells, HEK293T cells, and primary human chondrocyte and annulus fibrosus/nucleus pulposus (AF/NP) cell cultures were evaluated after 24 h of treatment. Cell viability, proliferation, and morphology were assessed using MTT assay, acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining, and microscopic analysis.
Results: SGE induced a dose-dependent reduction in viability in HeLa cells. In HeLa cells, SGE treatment (200–600 ng protein/mL, 24 h) reduced cell viability by 46.1–65.9% in a concentration-dependent manner while exerting minimal suppressive effects on AF/NPc. Chondrocyte and HEK293T cell viability increased by up to 29.9% and 125.0% of the control level, respectively.
Conclusion: The results suggest that SGE exerts a stronger inhibitory effect on HeLa cells at exceptionally low protein concentrations, supporting its potential as a source of novel anticancer molecules. Further fractionation and mechanistic studies are warranted to identify the active molecules, clarify their mechanisms of action, and determine whether they possess true tumor-targeted activity.
