Polysaccharide from Phormidium persicinum (Reinke) Gom. promotes neuronal differentiation and mitigates hypoxia-induced neuronal disruptions in vitro

Hypoxia is an important pathogenic factor affecting cellular metabolism and neurogenesis in neurological disorders. Neuronal stem cells (NSCs) are particularly sensitive to oxygen deprivation because they depend on tightly regulated metabolic programs during differentiation. Microalgal polysaccharides have recently gained interest due to their cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, but their potential to prevent hypoxia-induced metabolic stress in neural lineage commitment is poorly understood. Therefore, the present study evaluates the potential of crude polysaccharide derived from an indigenous marine microalga to attenuate metabolic perturbations in differentiating NSCs exposed to chemical hypoxia. The crude polysaccharide was extracted from Phormidium persicinum (Reinke) Gom. and characterized for its biochemical components. The compositional analysis revealed the presence of 24.35% sulphate, 16.69% carbohydrates, 12.66% uronic acids, and 3.77% protein along with monosaccharides like rhamnose, xylose, galactose, and fucose. Also, the impact of polysaccharide on the outcomes of neuronal differentiation was investigated in vitro on human neuronal stem cells (SH-SY5Y) under cobalt chloride induced hypoxia stress. The treatment with polysaccharide at a concentration of 50 µg mL ^− 1 supplemented with retinoic acid in the ratio of 80:20 induced a sustained formation of neurite outgrowth accompanied by metabolic stabilizations after differentiation. Furthermore, treatment with polysaccharide under hypoxic conditions promotes a more favourable metabolic profile, as reported by optimal levels of dopamine, epinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholinesterase, and adenosine triphosphatase. The study underscores the promising nature of novel algal polysaccharide for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and suggests further investigations to purify and pinpoint its bioactive components.