Suppression of tumor growth by Pleurotus ferulae ethanol extract through induction of cell apoptosis, and inhibition of cell proliferation and migration.

Weilan Wang,Nathan Johnston,Qing Liu,Fuchun Zhang,Xiufen Zheng,Zhenghai Ma,Kaixu Chen,Burton B Yang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0102673

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Edible medicinal mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine as regimes for cancer patients. Recently anti-cancer bioactive components from some mushrooms have been isolated and their anti-cancer effects have been tested. Pleurotus ferulae, a typical edible medicinal mushroom in Xinjiang China, has also been used to treat cancer patients in folk medicine. However, little studies have been reported on the anti-cancer components of Pleurotus ferulae. This study aims to extract bioactive components from Pleurotus ferulae and to investigate the anti-cancer effects of the extracts. We used ethanol to extract anti-cancer bioactive components enriched with terpenoids from Pleurotus ferulae. We tested the anti-tumour effects of ethanol extracts on the melanoma cell line B16F10, the human gastric cancer cell line BGC 823 and the immortalized human gastric epithelial mucosa cell line GES-1 in vitro and a murine melanoma model in vivo. Cell toxicity and cell proliferation were measured by MTT assays. Cell cycle progression, apoptosis, caspase 3 activity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), migration and gene expression were studied in vitro. PFEC suppressed tumor cell growth, inhibited cell proliferation, arrested cells at G0/G1 phases and was not toxic to non-cancer cells. PFEC also induced cell apoptosis and necrosis, increased caspase 3 activity, reduced the MMP, prevented cell invasion and changed the expression of genes associated with apoptosis and the cell cycle. PFEC delayed tumor formation and reduced tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, ethanol extracted components from Pleurotus ferulae exert anti-cancer effects through direct suppression of tumor cell growth and invasion, demonstrating its therapeutic potential in cancer treatment.

Highlights

Edible mushrooms have been globally used for centuries to promote health, prevent and treat diseases primarily via their vast medicinal qualities
To investigate anti-tumor effects of P. ferulae ethanol extracted components (PFEC), we first examined its effects on cell growth of the melanoma cell line B16F10 cells in vitro
Cultured B16F10 melanoma cells were treated with various concentrations of PFEC. 24 h later, cell morphologic changes were examined under a phase contrast microscope

Summary

Introduction

Edible mushrooms have been globally used for centuries to promote health, prevent and treat diseases primarily via their vast medicinal qualities. There are more than 14,000 mushrooms, among which approximately 700 exhibit medicinal properties [1]. Medicinal mushrooms can improve cardiovascular health, stimulate host immune defense systems against viral and microbial infection and cancer, maintain glucose homeostasis and modulate detoxification [1]. They were used to treat many diseases such as atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hepatitis, and cancer [1]. Researches on antitumor properties have primarily been focused on a small number of mushroom species such as Ganoderma lucidum ( known as Reishi in Japan or Lingzhi in China), and Lentinus edodes (Shiitake mushrooms) [2]

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