Fomes fomentarius and Tricholoma anatolicum (Agaricomycetes) Extracts Exhibit Significant Multiple Drug-Resistant Modulation Activity in Drug-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells.

Multiple drug resistance is one of the main problems that hinder successful cancer chemotherapy. Investigations on the development of effective chemotherapeutic agents and drug resistance inhibitors motivate studies on the effects of natural compounds on drug-resistant cancer cells. For this purpose, aqueous, methanol, and ethanol extracts of Fomes fomentarius and Tricholoma anatolicum were prepared. The extracts were evaluated to assess their anticancer and multiple drug resistance modulation activities. Cytotoxic effects of F. fomentarius and T. anatolicum extracts on paclitaxel and vincristine resistant P-glycoprotein over-expressing MCF-7 cell lines were investigated by cytotoxicity test (XTT). P-glycoprotein reversing ability and MDR modulation effects of the extracts were determined by flow cytometry through Rhodamine 123 exclusion assay. Furthermore, 11 phenolic compounds in the extracts were characterized by HPLC. As a result of the cytotoxicity assay, IC50 values of the extracts for MCF-7/Vinc were between 1.08 and 1.80 mg/mL, and IC50 values for MCF-7/Pac were found between 1.11 and 2.83 mg/mL. Strikingly, methanol extract of F. fomentarius and ethanol extract of T. anatolicum have potential value to become MDR reversing agents for drug-resistant breast cancer cells.

Characteristic volatiles fingerprints and changes of volatile compounds in fresh and dried Tricholoma matsutake Singer by HS-GC-IMS and HS-SPME-GC-MS.

The present study was to analyze the water dynamics of Tricholoma matsutake Singer during hot air drying by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to investigate the volatile compounds in the pileus, upper stipe and lower stipe of fresh and dried Tricholoma matsutake Singer by headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Fresh samples were dried at 60 °C for 12 h. With the T2i relaxation times decreasing, the water migrated from the inner toward the periphery and then expelled during drying. The characteristic volatiles fingerprints of different parts of fresh and dried samples were established by HS-GC-IMS. The significant differences in volatile compounds were observed among different parts of the fresh sample and C8 compounds (70%-97%) were the principal components. After drying, the concentration of C8 compounds dramatically decreased and some volatile compounds (hexanal, heptanal, 2(5H)-furanone, acetophenone, nonanal, benzeneacetaldehyde) were formed. Thus, hot air treatment affected the volatile compounds in Tricholoma matsutake Singer.

Effects of Nigella sativa seeds and certain species of fungi extracts on number and activation of dural mast cells in rats.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Nigella sativa seeds and certain species of fungi extracts on the number and degranulation states of dural mast cells in rats. Rats were fed ad libitum with normal tap water or tap water with extract of N. sativa seed, Ramaria condensata, Lactarius salmonicolor, Lactarius piperatus, and Tricholoma terreum for 3 days. Mast cells in dura mater were counted and evaluated in terms of granulation and degranulation states. Compound 48/80, a mast cell degranulating agent, and T. terreum significantly increased the percent of degranulated mast cells in dura mater, respectively (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). Moreover, T. terreum causes a significant increase in the total number of mast cells (p < 0.05). N. sativa significantly inhibited mast cell degranulation induced by both the compound 48/80 and T. terreum (p < 0.05), and significantly decreased the mast cell numbers increased by T. terreum (p < 0.05). Our results suggested that T. terreum following ingestion can contribute to headaches like migraine via dural mast cell degranulation and N. sativa may be able to exert analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects by stabilizing dural mast cells. However, investigation is needed to determine the ingredients of N. sativa that may be responsible for these beneficial effects.

Tricholoma matsutake Aqueous Extract Induces Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Apoptosis via Caspase-Dependent Mitochondrial Pathway.

Tricholoma matsutake, one of widely accepted functional mushrooms, possesses various pharmacological activities, and its antitumor effect has become an important research point. Our study aims to evaluate the cytotoxicity activities of T. matsutake aqueous extract (TM) in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. In in vitro experiments, TM strikingly reduced cell viability, promoted cell apoptosis, inhibited cell migration ability, induced excessive generation of ROS, and caused caspases cascade and mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In in vivo experiments, 14-day TM treatment strongly suppressed tumor growth in HepG2 and SMMC-7721-xenografted nude mice without influence on their body weights and liver function. Furthermore, TM increased the levels of cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), Bad, and Bax and reduced the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in treated cells and tumor tissues. All aforementioned results suggest that caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathways are involved in TM-mediated antihepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Tricholoma giganteum (Agaricomycetes) in a Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Rat Model.

Different concentrations of standardized ethanolic extract from the basidiocarps of Tricholoma giganteum Massee (TgEtOH) were screened for hepatoprotective effects in an animal model of rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) fed a high-fat and high-fructose diet. After 4 weeks of treatment with TgEtOH, the relative liver weights, serum lipid concentrations, and biochemical profiles were found to be normal in treated animals compared with those given a standard drug. The macroscopic and histopathological studies clearly indicated that 200 mg/kg of ethanolic extract was effective in ameliorating the abnormalities of NAFLD. The findings indicate the efficacy of T. giganteum extract in liver protection. Future experiments on bioassay tailored fractionation of TgEtOH and mechanistic-based evaluation are required to assess the potential application of this mushroom as a food supplement in NAFLD.

Antioxidant and anti-aging activities of the polysaccharide TLH-3 from Tricholoma lobayense.

Polysaccharides from edible fungi usually exhibit many bioactivities. Our previous studies found that polysaccharide TLH-3 extracted from Tricholoma lobayense possessed noticeable antioxidant activity. To further explore its biological activities, the antioxidant and anti-aging activities of TLH-3 were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The results of antioxidant activity in vitro showed that TLH-3 could enhance the cell viability, reduce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibit oxidative damage induced by tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF) cells. The anti-aging capability was measured in d-galactose (d-gal)-induced aged mice model, and the experimental data showed that TLH-3 significantly inhibited the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and raised the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in mice liver and serum (p<0.05). This study suggested that TLH-3 possessed apparent antioxidant and anti-aging activities and could be exploited as a potent dietary supplement to attenuate aging and prevent age-related diseases in humans.

Polysaccharides from Tricholoma matsutake and Lentinus edodes enhance 5-fluorouracil-mediated H22 cell growth inhibition.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have investigated the effects produced by combinations of polysaccharides and chemotherapeutic drugs in cancer treatment. We hypothesized that a combination of polysaccharides (COP) from Lentinus edodes and Tricholoma matsutake would improve the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-mediated inhibition of H22 cell growth. METHODS: Mice were injected H22 cells and then treated with either 5-FU, polysaccharides from Tricholoma matsutake (PTM), polysaccharides from Lentinus edodes (PL), PTM+PL, 5-FU+PTM, 5-FU+ PL, or 5-FU + COP. The tumor weight and volume, and splenic CD4 + and CD8 + T cell frequencies, were determined. Additionally, splenic natural killer (NK) cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activities were assessed and the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-2 (IL-2), and Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were measured. RESULTS: Compared with mice from the control, 5-FU, PL, PTM, PTM + PL, 5-FU + PL, and 5-FU + PTM groups, mice treated with 5-FU + COP showed: (a) significantly reduced tumor weight and volume (P < 0.05); (b) significantly higher serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-2, and IFN-gamma (P < 0.05); (c) significantly increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell frequencies in the spleen (P < 0.05); and (d) significantly increased splenic NK cell and CTL activities (P < 0.05). The tumor weight and volume in mice treated with 5-FU+PL or 5-FU+PTM were significantly reduced compared with mice treated with 5-FU alone (P < 0.05). Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-2, and IFN-gamma, frequencies of CD4 + and CD8+ T cells in the spleen, and splenic NK and CTL activities were also significantly increased in mice treated with 5-FU+PL or 5-FU+PTM compared with mice treated with 5-FU alone (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Polysaccharides from Lentinus edodes and Tricholoma matsutake could enhance the efficacy of 5-FU-mediated H22 cell growth inhibition.

Extraction and purification of polysaccharides from pine medicinal mushroom, Tricholoma matsutake (higher Basidiomycetes) fruit bodies.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction, purification, and characterization of antioxidant polysaccharides from Tricholoma matsutake were carried out. On the basis of the results of a single-factor test, three independent and main variables, including extraction time (X1: 130-170 s), ultrasonic power (X2: 340-380 W), and ratio of water to raw material (X3: 45-55 mL/g) were studied by Box-Behnken design. The optimum extraction conditions are as follows: extraction time 160 s, ultrasonic power 365 W, and ratio of water to raw material 53.5 mL/g. Under the optimized conditions, the yield of T. matsutake polysaccharides (TMP) was 7.97±0.31%. The crude TMP was purified by DEAE-cellulose 52 chromatography and Sephadex G-100 chromatography to afford two fractions, TMP-1 and TMP-2. The crude TMP contained 85.76% carbohydrates, 3.57% proteins, and 0.13% uronic acids. The constituent monosaccharides were predominantly glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, fucose, and glucuronic acid residues.

Selective inhibition of Leishmania donovani by active extracts of wild mushrooms used by the tribal population of India: An in vitro exploration for new leads against parasitic protozoans.

The study was intended at evaluating the anti-proliferating effect of mushrooms used in traditional folklore of Santal tribal population in India against Leishmania donovani (MHOM/IN/83/AG83). A total of eighteen extracts, three estracts from each mushroom [(80% ethanol extracted; Fa), (water-soluble polysaccharide fraction; Fb), (polyphenolic fraction; Fc)], from six wild mushrooms were obtained. These extracts were tested against the promastigotes and amastigotes for their antileishmanial capacity. Fa fractions (250 µg/mL) of Astraeus hygrometricus and Tricholoma giganteum significantly inhibited the growth of L. donovani promastigotes and interfered in lipid biosynthesis. Moreover, both fractions induced apoptosis in promastigotes. Water soluble Fb fractions of A. hygrometricus, Russula laurocerasi, Russula albonigra, Termitomyces eurhizus, Russula delica and polyphenolic Fc fraction of R. laurocerasi were found to inhibit the replication of intracellular amastigotes in macrophages dose dependently. Significantly, 50% inhibitory concentration of the active extracts against intracellular amastigotes induced release of nitric oxide and IL-12 in murine macrophages and dendritic cells assay and also found considerably non-toxic on murine splenocytes. Results of this study can be used as a basis for further phytochemical and pharmacological investigations in the effort for search of novel anti-leishmanial leads.

Immunomodulatory activities of different solvent extracts from Tricholoma matsutake (S. Ito et S. Imai) singer (higher basidiomycetes) on normal mice.

The immunomodulatory activities of different solvent extracts from the culinary-medicinal mushroom Tricholoma matsutake were studied in vivo in normal mice. The extracts were prepared using different solvents in an order of increasing polarity. The immunomodulatory activities were investigated by measuring the thymus and spleen index, phagocytic rate of macrophage phagocytosis, delayed-type hypersensitivity, plaque-forming cell, and proliferation of splenocytes. Results demonstrated that water extract (WE) and n-butyl alcohol extract (BAE) of T. matsutake could enhance the immunity of mice significantly compared with the control group. Main components of WE and BAE were polysaccharides, proteins, and flavonoids; we presume that these may be the main immunomodulating and immuno-enhancing agents in T. matsutake.

A PVP-extract fungal protein of Omphalia lapideacens and its antitumor activity on human gastric tumors and normal cells.

Omphalia lapidescens is an important medicinal fungus as well as traditional Chinese medicine used for disease treatment. It is mainly used as a vermifuge for anthelmintic therapy, but it has not been hitherto reported to possess antitumor activity. In this study, a purified bioactive protein in O. lapidescens (pPeOp) was obtained using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) followed by gel filtration chromatography. To evaluate the in vitro antitumor activity of pPeOp in human gastric tumor cells (MC-4 and SGC-7901) and normal cells (MC-1), MTT assay and FCM assay were used and the morphological changes, cell viability, cell death rate and cell apoptosis rate of MC-4, SGC-7901 and MC-1 cells were estimated. The results showed that pPeOp could significantly reduce the cell viability of MC-4 and SGC-7901 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 236.05 and 156.28 µg/ml, respectively. The morphological observation also indicated a similar result. In FCM assays, a significant increase of cell death rate and cell apoptosis rate of the tumor cells were observed, indicating probable necrosis-inducing effects and/or apoptosis-inducing effects of pPeOp. Importantly, there was no significant effect of pPeOp on MC-1 cells in each assay, showing that pPeOp has no adverse effects on the normal cells. In conclusion, pPeOp is a newly discovered bioactive protein in O. lapidescens and this is the first report on antitumor activity of such a fungal protein. This may provide a meaningful basis for developing a new protein drug for treatment against cancer, especially gastric cancer.

Functional activation of macrophages, monocytes and splenic lymphocytes by polysaccharide fraction from Tricholoma matsutake.

Mushroom-derived polysaccharides (beta-glucans) are considered as a valuable biopharmaceutical principle without displaying side effects. Although Tricholoma matsutake is well-known mushroom in Korea, Japan and China, the immunoregulatory roles of T. matsutake-derived polysaccharides were not fully elucidated yet. In this study, we continued to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of T. matsutake-derived polysaccharide fraction (TmC-2) using functional activation models of macrophages, monocytes and splenic lymphocytes. TmC-2 treatment strongly increased the production of NO and TNF-alpha. Phagocytic uptake and ROS generation was also up-regulated by TmC-2. Interestingly, TmC-2 stimulated CD29-mediated cell-cell or cell-finbronectin adhesions in monocytes, while CD43-mediated cell adhesion was down-regulated. Interestingly, the enhancement of proliferation and IFN-gamma production was striking observed in TmC-2-treated splenic lymphocytes. The activation seemed to be mediated by up-regulating intracellular signaling cascades such as PI3K/Akt and MAPK (ERK and p38) and by the involvement of surface receptors (dectin-1 and TLR-2). Therefore, our results suggest that this TmC-2 from T. matsutake can be developed as a promising immunostimulatory principle, applicable to people with lowered immunomodulatory potentials.

[Determination of selenium in Tricholoma giganteum by flow injection-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry].

Various test conditions and effect factors for the determination of selenium by flow injection-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry were discussed and a method for the determination of selenium in tricholoma giganteum has been developed. The linear range for selenium is 0-50 microg x L(-1). The relative standard deviation is less than 3% and the recovery is 96%-105%. This method is simple, rapid and has been applied to the determination of selenium in tricholoma giganteum with satisfactory results.