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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #195856

Title: INHIBITION OF GROWTH AND INDUCTION OF APOPTOSIS IN HUMAN CANCER CELL LINES BY AN ETHYL ACETATE FRACTION FROM SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Author
item FANG, NIANBAI - ACNC/UAMS
item LI, QINGIN - ACNC/UAMS
item YU, SHANGGONG - ACNC
item HE, LING - ACNC/UAMS
item RONIS, MARTIN - ACNC/UAMS
item BADGER, THOMAS - ACNC/UAMS

Submitted to: Popular Publication
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2006
Publication Date: 3/19/2006
Citation: Fang, N., Li, Q., Yu, S., He, L., Ronis, M.J., Badger, T.M. 2006. Inhibition of growth and induction of apoptosis in human cancer cell lines by an ethyl acetate fraction from shiitake mushrooms. Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine. 12(2):125-132.

Interpretive Summary: Shiitake mushrooms have been reported to have cancer preventing properties, and polysaccharides isolated from shiitake mushrooms are being used in some parts of the world as an adjuvant in cancer chemotherapy. However, little research has been conducted verifying the antitumor activities of "mycochemicals" (the word used to describe chemical compounds found primarily in mushrooms) in shiitake mushrooms. In this study, we determined the dose (amount) of these "mycochemicals" in extracts of Shiitakes that would prevent cell division of 6 human tumor cell lines. Compared to malignant cells, nonmalignant cells were less sensitive to the "mycochemicals" extract from shiitake mushrooms on the suppression of cell growth. These data suggest that the inhibition of growth in the tumor cells by "mycochemicals" in Shiitake mushrooms may result from a process known as programmed cell death (apoptosis). This apoptosis is a mechanism that cells have to dispose of mutated cells that would otherwise go to cause cancer.

Technical Abstract: Shiitake mushrooms have been reported to have cancer preventing properties, and polysaccharides isolated from shiitake mushrooms are being used in some parts of the world as an adjuvant in cancer chemtherapy. However, little research has been conducted verifying the antitumor activities of "mycochemicals" in shiitake mushrooms. In this study, activities of an ethyl acetate extract of shiitake mushrooms were investigated in vitro using 6 human tumor cell lines and 1 human nonmalignant breast epithelial cell line. Concentration-dependent antiproliferative effects of the extract were observed in all cell lines using the MTT assay. Approximately 50 mg/L induced apoptosis in 50% of the population of all six tumor cell lines. Up-regulation of the cdk inhibitor p21 and the pro-apoptotic protein Bax was observed in MCF-7 cells with concomitant down-regulation of cyclin D1 and cdk4 (P<0.05). Compared to malignant MCF-7 cells, nonmalignant MCF-10F cells were less sensitive to the ethyl acetate extract from shiitake mushrooms on the suppression of cell growth and regulation of p21, bax, cyclin D1 and cdk4 expression. These data suggest that the inhibition of growth in the tumor cells by "mycochemicals" in shiitake mushrooms may result from inducing apoptosis.