Study of Sea Cucumber Oligo-Peptide Intervention in Nude Mice: Based on the Combined Mechanism of Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant and Anti-Proliferation

Purpose - This article aims to explore the effects and mechanisms of sea cucumber oligopeptides on inflammation, oxidative stress, and proliferation in nude mice with liver cancer xenografts, providing theoretical support for the development of marine active peptide-based adjuvant therapies for liver cancer. Design/Methodology/Approach - In vivo experiments were conducted by establishing a liver cancer xenograft model in nude mice to quantitatively assess the dynamic inhibitory effect of sea cucumber oligopeptides on tumor volume; simultaneously, an in vitro culture system of liver cancer cells was used to detect their regulatory effects on oxidative stress indicators (SOD, MDA) and inflammatory factors (IL-8, IL-10). Findings - The results indicate that sea cucumber oligopeptides significantly inhibited the growth of liver cancer xenografts in nude mice and improved the levels of inflammatory factors IL-8 and IL-10. Additionally, sea cucumber oligopeptides increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the liver tissue of nude mice and reduced the content of lipid peroxidation products, thereby alleviating oxidative stress. This may be related to the downregulation of cell cycle-related protein expression by sea cucumber oligopeptides, which reduced the activity of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and enhanced the immune response in nude mice. Research Implications - This study reveals that sea cucumber oligopeptides inhibit liver cancer progression through a multi-target synergistic effect of “cell cycle arrest - oxidative stress alleviation - immune microenvironment regulation,” providing new evidence for the application of marine bioactive components in tumor treatment. Future research will combine metabolomics to analyze the molecular pathways of its intervention in metabolic reprogramming and explore the synergistic effects with PD-1 inhibitors, promoting innovative development of precision treatment strategies for liver cancer.