Antitumor potential of new low molecular weight antioxidative preparations from the white rot fungus Cerrena unicolor against human colon cancer cells

Characterization of Polysaccharide Extracts of Four Edible Mushrooms and Determination of In Vitro Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibition and Anticancer Activities

Mushroom polysaccharides are important bioactive compounds derived from mushrooms with various beneficial properties. In this study, the chemical characterization and bioactivities of polysaccharide extracts from four different edible mushrooms, Clavariadelphus truncatus Donk, Craterellus tubaeformis (Fr.) Quél., Hygrophorus pudorinus (Fr.) Fr., and Macrolepiota procera (Scop.) Singer were studied. Glucose (13.24-56.02%), galactose (14.18-64.05%), mannose (2.18-18.13%), fucose (1.21-5.78%), and arabinose (0.04-5.43%) were identified in all polysaccharide extracts by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) confirmed the presence of characteristic carbohydrate patterns. 1H NMR suggested that all polysaccharide extracts had α- and β-d-mannopyranose, d-glucopyranose, d-galactopyranose, α-l-arabinofuranose, and α-l-fucopyranose residues. Approximate molecular weights of polysaccharide extracts were determined by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography). The best antioxidant activity was found in M. procera polysaccharide extract in DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging (39.03% at 800 μg/mL), CUPRAC (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity) (A0.50: 387.50 μg/mL), and PRAP (phosphomolybdenum reducing antioxidant power) (A0.50: 384.08 μg/mL) assays. C. truncatus polysaccharide extract showed the highest antioxidant activity in ABTS•+ scavenging (IC50: 734.09 μg/mL), β-carotene-linoleic acid (IC50: 472.16 μg/mL), and iron chelating (IC50: 180.35 μg/mL) assays. Significant anticancer activity was found in C. truncatus polysaccharide extract on HT-29 (IC50: 46.49 μg/mL) and HepG2 (IC50: 48.50 μg/mL) cell lines and H. pudorinus polysaccharide extract on the HeLa cell line (IC50: 51.64 μg/mL). Also, H. pudorinus polysaccharide extract possessed prominent AChE (acetylcholinesterase) inhibition activity (49.14% at 200 μg/mL).

A complex metabolic network and its biomarkers regulate laccase production in white-rot fungus Cerrena unicolor 87613

BACKGROUND

White-rot fungi are known to naturally produce high quantities of laccase, which exhibit commendable stability and catalytic efficiency. However, their laccase production does not meet the demands for industrial-scale applications. To address this limitation, it is crucial to optimize the conditions for laccase production. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying different conditions remain unclear. This knowledge gap hinders the cost-effective application of laccases.

RESULTS

In this study, we utilized transcriptomic and metabolomic data to investigate a promising laccase producer, Cerrena unicolor 87613, cultivated with fructose as the carbon source. Our comprehensive analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) aimed to identify changes in cellular processes that could affect laccase production. As a result, we discovered a complex metabolic network primarily involving carbon metabolism and amino acid metabolism, which exhibited contrasting changes between transcription and metabolic patterns. Within this network, we identified five biomarkers, including succinate, serine, methionine, glutamate and reduced glutathione, that played crucial roles in co-determining laccase production levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study proposed a complex metabolic network and identified key biomarkers that determine the production level of laccase in the commercially promising Cerrena unicolor 87613. These findings not only shed light on the regulatory mechanisms of carbon sources in laccase production, but also provide a theoretical foundation for enhancing laccase production through strategic reprogramming of metabolic pathways, especially related to the citrate cycle and specific amino acid metabolism.

Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis unveils a negative effect of glutathione metabolism on laccase activity in Cerrena unicolor 87613

The white rot fungus Cerrena unicolor 87613 has been previously shown to be a promising resource in laccase production, an enzyme with significant biotechnological applications. Conventional methods face technical challenges in improving laccase activity. Attempts are still being made to develop novel approaches for further enhancing laccase activity. This study aimed to understand the regulation of laccase activity in C. unicolor 87613 for a better exploration of the novel approach. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were performed to identify key genes and metabolites involved in extracellular laccase activity. The findings indicated a strong correlation between the glutathione metabolism pathway and laccase activity. Subsequently, experimental verifications were conducted by manipulating the pathway using chemical approaches. The additive reduced glutathione (GSH) dose-dependently repressed laccase activity, while the GSH inhibitors (APR-246) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) inducer (H2O2) enhanced laccase activity. Changes in GSH levels could determine the intracellular redox homeostasis in interaction with ROS and partially affect the expression level of laccase genes in C. unicolor 87613 in turn. In addition, GSH synthetase was found to mediate GSH abundance in a feedback loop. This study suggests that laccase activity is negatively influenced by GSH metabolism and provides a theoretical basis for a novel strategy to enhance laccase activity by reprogramming glutathione metabolism at a specific cultivation stage.IMPORTANCEThe production of laccase activity is limited by various conventional approaches, such as heterologous expression, strain screening, and optimization of incubation conditions. There is an urgent need for a new strategy to meet industrial requirements more effectively. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome of Cerrena unicolor 87613. For the first time, we discovered a negative role played by reduced glutathione (GSH) and its metabolic pathway in influencing extracellular laccase activity. Furthermore, we identified a feedback loop involving GSH, GSH synthetase gene, and GSH synthetase within this metabolic pathway. These deductions were confirmed through experimental investigations. These findings not only advanced our understanding of laccase activity regulation in its natural producer but also provide a theoretical foundation for a strategy to enhance laccase activity by reprogramming glutathione metabolism at a specific cultivation stage.

Macrofungi as Medicinal Resources in Uzbekistan: Biodiversity, Ethnomycology, and Ethnomedicinal Practices

Interest in edible and medicinal macrofungi is millennial in terms of their uses in health and food products in Central Asia, while interest in inedible and medicinal macrofungi has grown in popularity in recent years. Edible and inedible medicinal basidiomycetes were collected during field surveys from different regions of Uzbekistan. The morphological characters and similarity assessment of rDNA-Internal Transcribed Spacer sequence data were used to measure diversity and habitat associations. A number of 17 species of medicinal macrofungi of ethnomycological and medicinal interest was found associated with 23 species of trees and shrubs belonging to 11 families and 14 genera. Polyporaceae and Hymenochaetaceae were represented by the highest number of species followed by Ganodermataceae, Fomitopsidaceae, Auriculariaceae, Cerrenaceae, Grifolaceae, Phanerochaetaceae, Laetiporaceae, Schizophyllaceae, and Stereaceae. The highest number of medicinal basidiomycete species was reported in the following host genera: Acer, Betula, Celtis, Crataegus, Juglans, Juniperus, Lonicera, Malus, Morus, Platanus, Populus, Prunus, Quercus, and Salix. An updated list of edible and inedible medicinal mushrooms identified in Uzbekistan, their morphological characteristics, and phylogenetic placement are given for the first time. Information is provided on their uses in traditional and modern medicine. Their bioactive compounds and extracts can be applied as medicines, as well as food and cosmetic ingredients.

Investigation of Three Morchella Species for Anticancer Activity Against Colon Cancer Cell Lines by UPLC-MS-Based Chemical Analysis

In search of new anticancer agents, natural products including fungal compounds had been used as potential anticancer agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity of Morchella extracts against colon cancer cell line and UPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis for the identification of compounds. The cytotoxic activity of the three Morchella species was examined for their anti-carcinogenic properties against the colon cancer cell lines. Phytochemical analyses were performed to screen Morchella for the presence of anti-cancerous compounds. All the fungal extracts inhibited the viability of colon cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Major compounds identified in Morchella included amino acid, fatty acid, sterol, flavonoid, peptide, glutamic acid, alkaloid, terpenoid, cyclopyrrolones, and coumarin. Several new compounds were detected among all the three Morchella extracts. In conclusion, all the fungal extracts showed potential inhibition of colon cancer cells and actively arrested the cell viability. It was concluded that the identified bioactive compounds might be the main constituents contributing to the anticancer activity of Morchella against human colon cancer cell lines. Thus, Morchella extracts are a potential source of bioactive compounds with cytotoxicity and could potentially be used as functional food supplements. Due to the nature of impressive findings, this investigation should be undertaken further to allow the studies to explore and develop a potential cytotoxic agents against colon cancer.

Study on Phenolic and Organic Acid Compositions and Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Agaricomycetes Mushroom Species from Turkey

Mushrooms stand out as one of nature's best gifts among the natural product sources with their diversity, therapeutic values and increasing popularity. In this study, antioxidant (ABTS·+ scavenging, β-carotene-bleaching, cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), DPPH· scavenging, and metal chelating assays), and enzyme (buty-rylcholinesterase (BChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), α-amylase and α-glucosidase) inhibition activities of the extracts obtained from Coprinus comatus (O.F. Müll.) Pers., Cerrena unicolor (Bull.) Murrill, Inocutis rheades (Pers.) Fiasson & Niemela and Leptoporus mollis (Pers.) Quél. mushroom species were investigated. The presence of phenolic and organic acid compounds associated with the bioactive properties of the mushroom species was determined by HPLC-DAD. Fumaric acid was found to be prominent compound in C. comatus (43.90 µg/g dw) and C. unicolor (659.9 µg/g dw), vanillin in L. mollis (19.48 µg/g dw), and p-coumaric acid in I. rheades (21.32 µg/g dw). L. mollis methanol extract, as well as higher antioxidant activity than the standards in CUPRAC and β-carotene-bleaching assays, was noted as superior antioxidant active in all assays (except metal chelating). C. comatus possessed the highest inhibition activity on α-amylase (IC50: 0.23 mg/mL for methanol extract), AChE (IC50: 125.50 µg/mL for hexane extract), and BChE (IC50: 61.03 µg/mL for methanol extract). Also, C. comatus methanol (IC50: 0.09 mg/mL) and L. mollis hexane (IC50 : 0.11 mg/ mL) extracts were better α-glucosidase inhibition active than the acarbose (IC50: 0.37 mg/mL). Our study ascertained that the studied mushroom species are particularly sources of biochemically active compounds with therapeutic potential.

Electric Cell-Substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) as a Convenient Tool to Assess the Potential of Low Molecular Fraction Derived from Medicinal Fungus Cerrena unicolor in Action on L929 and CT-26 Cell Lines

The increase in the incidence of cancer has contributed to the search for new therapeutic methods. In recent years, the use of preparations of natural origin from medical fungi has increased. One such active substance is the extracellular, low molecular active fraction obtained from the medicinal fungus Cerrena unicolor. This study aimed to monitor the pharmacokinetics of different concentrations of substances isolated from the medicinal fungus Cerrena unicolor (ex-LMS) using the ECIS technique. In the study, mouse L929 fibroblasts and colon cancer CT26 cell lines were treated with different concentrations of the active fractions obtained from Cerrena unicolor: C1 = 2.285 (μg/mL); C2 = 22.85 (μg/mL); and C3 = 228.5 (μg/mL). This study demonstrated that the tested preparation from Cerrena unicolor had no considerable effect on the resistance, capacitance, and impedance of L929 fibroblast cells, which was an indicator of no significant effect on its physiological processes. At the same time, those parameters exhibited a decrease in colon cancer cell viability. Following our previous and current studies on Cerrena unicolor, ex-LMS extracts can be safely used in anticancer therapy or chemoprevention with no significant harmful effects on normal cells.

Antimicrobial polysaccharides obtained from natural sources

With the increase in resistance to conventional antibiotics among bacterial pathogens, the search for new antimicrobials becomes more and more necessary. Although most studies focus on the discovery of antimicrobial peptides for the development of new antibiotics, several others in the literature have described polysaccharides with the same biological activity with the potential for use as therapeutic alternatives. Here we review the currently available literature on antimicrobial polysaccharides isolated from different sources to demonstrate that there are several possible unconventional carbohydrate polymers that could act as therapeutic alternatives in the battle against drug-resistant pathogens.

Low-Molecular-Weight Secondary Metabolites from Fungi: Cerrena unicolor as a New Proposal of an Effective Preparation against Rhabditis Nematodes

Plants and fungi are known as a valuable source of natural medicines used in the treatment of various diseases. Many of them are used to treat human and animal gastrointestinal diseases caused by parasites. The aim of this study was to investigate for the first time the antinematode properties of extracellular low-molecular subfractions (ex-LMS) obtained from the liquid growth medium of idiophasic Cerrena unicolor cultures. The fungal fractions were isolated according to a procedure previously described by Jaszek et al. The in vitro tests were performed using nematodes of the Rhabditis genus. As demonstrated by the results, the total fraction with a molecular weight < 10 kDa (CU-A) and the 0.02−1.5 kDa fraction (CU-B) had nematicidal activity. It was found that the analyzed substances induced movement disturbances caused by the paralysis of the back part of the nematode’s body. The degree of body paralysis was proportional to the increase in the concentration of the tested fractions. Summarizing the obtained results in the context of the available literature data, it seems that C. unicolor may be a good new candidate for research on nematode infections.

Genomic Studies of White-Rot Fungus Cerrena unicolor SP02 Provide Insights into Food Safety Value-Added Utilization of Non-Food Lignocellulosic Biomass

Cerrena unicolor is an ecologically and biotechnologically important wood-degrading basidiomycete with high lignocellulose degrading ability. Biological and genetic investigations are limited in the Cerrena genus and, thus, hinder genetic modification and commercial use. The aim of the present study was to provide a global understanding through genomic and experimental research about lignocellulosic biomass utilization by Cerrena unicolor. In this study, we reported the genome sequence of C. unicolor SP02 by using the Illumina and PacBio 20 platforms to obtain trustworthy assembly and annotation. This is the combinational 2nd and 3rd genome sequencing and assembly of C. unicolor species. The generated genome was 42.79 Mb in size with an N50 contig size of 2.48 Mb, a G + C content of 47.43%, and encoding of 12,277 predicted genes. The genes encoding various lignocellulolytic enzymes including laccase, lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, cytochromes P450, cellulase, xylanase, α-amylase, and pectinase involved in the degradation of lignin, cellulose, xylan, starch, pectin, and chitin that showed the C. unicolor SP02 potentially have a wide range of applications in lignocellulosic biomass conversion. Genome-scale metabolic analysis opened up a valuable resource for a better understanding of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and oxidoreductases that provide insights into the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms for lignocellulosic degradation. The C. unicolor SP02 model can be used for the development of efficient microbial cell factories in lignocellulosic industries. The understanding of the genetic material of C. unicolor SP02 coding for the lignocellulolytic enzymes will significantly benefit us in genetic manipulation, site-directed mutagenesis, and industrial biotechnology.

Thromboelastometric Analysis of Anticancer Cerrena unicolor Subfractions Reveal Their Potential as Fibrin Glue Drug Carrier Enhancers

In this study, the influence of two subfractions (with previously proven anti-cancer properties) isolated from wood rot fungus Cerrena unicolor on the formation of a fibrin clot was investigated in the context of potential use as fibrin glue and sealant enhancers and potential wound healing agents. With the use of ROTEM thromboelastometry, we demonstrated that, in the presence of fibrinogen and thrombin, the S6 fraction accelerated the formation of a fibrin clot, had a positive effect on its elasticity modulus, and enhanced the degree of fibrin cross-linking. The S5 fraction alone showed no influence on the fibrin coagulation process; however, in the presence of fibrin, it exhibited a decrease in anti-proliferative properties against the HT-29 line, while it increased the proliferation of cells in general at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. Both fractions retained their proapoptotic properties to a lesser degree. In combination with the S6 fraction in the ratio of 1:1 and 1:3, the fractions contributed to increased inhibition of the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). This may suggest anti-metastatic activity of the combined fractions. In conclusion, the potential of the fractions isolated from the C. unicolor secretome to be used as a means of improving the wound healing process was presented. The potential for delivering agents with cytostatic properties introduced far from the site of action or exerting a pro-proliferative effect at the wound site with the aid of a fibrin sealant was demonstrated.

Mycopharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals: Promising Agents to Improve Human Well-Being and Life Quality

Fungi, especially edible mushrooms, are considered as high-quality food with nutritive and functional values. They are of considerable interest and have been used in the synthesis of nutraceutical supplements due to their medicinal properties and economic significance. Specific fungal groups, including predominantly filamentous endophytic fungi from Ascomycete phylum and several Basidiomycetes, produce secondary metabolites (SMs) with bioactive properties that are involved in the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. These beneficial fungi, while high in protein and important fat contents, are also a great source of several minerals and vitamins, in particular B vitamins that play important roles in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and the maintenance of the nervous system. This review article will summarize and discuss the abilities of fungi to produce antioxidant, anticancer, antiobesity, and antidiabetic molecules while also reviewing the evidence from the last decade on the importance of research in fungi related products with direct and indirect impact on human health.

Mushroom Nutrition as Preventative Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa

The defining characteristics of the traditional Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) cuisine have been the richness in indigenous foods and ingredients, herbs and spices, fermented foods and beverages, and healthy and whole ingredients used. It is crucial to safeguard the recognized benefits of mainstream traditional foods and ingredients, which gradually eroded in the last decades. Notwithstanding poverty, chronic hunger, malnutrition, and undernourishment in the region, traditional eating habits have been related to positive health outcomes and sustainability. The research prevailed dealing with food availability and access rather than the health, nutrition, and diet quality dimensions of food security based on what people consume per country and on the missing data related to nutrient composition of indigenous foods. As countries become more economically developed, they shift to “modern” occidental foods rich in saturated fats, salt, sugar, fizzy beverages, and sweeteners. As a result, there are increased incidences of previously unreported ailments due to an unbalanced diet. Protein-rich foods in dietary guidelines enhance only those of animal or plant sources, while rich protein sources such as mushrooms have been absent in these charts, even in developed countries. This article considers the valorization of traditional African foodstuffs and ingredients, enhancing the importance of establishing food-based dietary guidelines per country. The crux of this review highlights the potential of mushrooms, namely some underutilized in the SSA, which is the continent’s little exploited gold mine as one of the greatest untapped resources for feeding and providing income for Africa’s growing population, which could play a role in shielding Sub-Saharan Africans against the side effects of an unhealthy stylish diet.

Chemopreventive activity of bioactive fungal fractions isolated from milk-supplemented cultures of Cerrena unicolor and Pycnoporus sanguineus on colon cancer cells

The biochemical properties and anti-tumorigenic activity of Cerrena unicolor (CU) and Pycnoporus sanguineus (PS) towards colon cancer cells and the effect of supplementation of the fungal culture medium with cow milk on these activities were examined. CU1-II and PS4-II exhibited anticancer properties through various mechanisms. The extracts at the 200 µg/mL concentration significantly decreased the viability of HT-29 and SW948 cells. They also exhibited pro-apoptotic properties towards the cancer cell lines (HT-29, LS 180, and SW948). Furthermore, culturing the studied fungi on milk-supplemented media may improve the pro-health properties of both milk and mushrooms. The extracts had a higher concentration of proteins, lower levels of free amino acids, and higher content of phenolic compounds than milk. They also exerted a free radical scavenging effect, which may be connected with the high activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase. The tested extracts exhibited anticancer activity: C. unicolor grown on the medium without milk and P. sanguineus grown on the medium with milk. The CU1-II and PS4-II extracts exhibited the strongest anticancer properties; however, PS4-II exerted a milder effect on normal CCD 841 CoTr cells than CU1-II. CU3-II exerted the mildest effect among all extracts on both normal and cancer cells.

Amino-containing tannic acid derivative-mediated universal coatings for multifunctional surface modification

The development of a universal coating strategy for the construction of functional surfaces and modulation of surface properties is of great research interest. Tannic acid (TA) could serve as a sole precursor for the deposition of colorless coatings on substrate surfaces. However, the deposition of TA requires a high salt concentration (0.6 M), which may limit its practical application. Herein, primary amine moieties were introduced on the gallic acid groups in TA. The resultant amine-containing TA derivative (TAA) can self-polymerize under mild conditions (10 mM, Tris buffer), and form uniform and colorless coatings in a material-independent manner. In comparison with the TA coating under the same preparation conditions, the TAA coating exhibits an increased thickness as measured by ellipsometry. The TAA coating is adapted for secondary surface functionalization. The hydrophilic mPEG brushes can be grafted on the TAA coating to inhibit non-specific protein adsorption. A biotin probe can be immobilized on the TAA coating to promote specific binding with avidin. In addition, the TAA coating can be utilized for in situ reduction of silver ions to AgNPs. The resulting AgNP-loaded TAA coating can inhibit bacterial adhesion and prevent biofilm formation.

Medicinal potential of mycelium and fruiting bodies of an arboreal mushroom Fomitopsis officinalis in therapy of lifestyle diseases

Fomitopsis officinalis is a medicinal mushroom used in traditional European eighteenth and nineteenth century folk medicine. Fruiting bodies of F. officinalis were collected from the natural environment of Świętokrzyskie Province with the consent of the General Director for Environmental Protection in Warsaw. Mycelial cultures were obtained from fragments of F. officinalis fruiting bodies. The taxonomic position of the mushroom mycelium was confirmed using the PCR method. The presence of organic compounds was determined by HPLC–DAD analysis. Bioelements were determined by AF-AAS. The biochemical composition of the tested mushroom material was confirmed with the FTIR method. Antioxidant properties were determined using the DPPH method, and the antiproliferative activity was assessed with the use of the MTT test. The presence of indole compounds (l-tryptophan, 6-methyl-d,l-tryptophan, melatonin, 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan), phenolic compounds (p-hydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, catechin, phenylalanine), and sterols (ergosterol, ergosterol peroxide) as well as trace elements was confirmed in the mycelium and fruiting bodies of F. officinalis. Importantly, a high level of 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan in in vitro mycelium cultures (517.99 mg/100 g d.w) was recorded for the first time. The tested mushroom extracts also showed antioxidant and antiproliferative effects on the A549 lung cancer cell line, the DU145 prostate cancer cell line, and the A375 melanoma cell line.

Mushrooms-Rich Preparations on Wound Healing: From Nutritional to Medicinal Attributes

Mushrooms have a significant role in human diet as functional food and as a nutraceutical resource. The combination of its umami flavor, protein, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates has meant that mushrooms could be considered a cheap food source for a long time in many countries. Moreover, mushrooms contain an excellent variety of bioactive metabolites that can be successful in both prevention and treatment of various human health hazards. In addition, extracts from medicinal mushrooms and their metabolites have been verified for wound treating with contribution to different mechanisms of the healing process. This review summarizes the nutritional value and composition of mushrooms, ethnobiology and ethnopharmacology, and wound healing potential.

Lighting Conditions Influence the Dynamics of Protease Synthesis and Proteasomal Activity in the White Rot Fungus Cerrena unicolor

Recent transcriptomic and biochemical studies have revealed that light influences the global gene expression profile and metabolism of the white-rot fungus Cerrena unicolor. Here, we aimed to reveal the involvement of proteases and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis by the 26S proteasome in the response of this fungus to white, red, blue and green lighting conditions and darkness. The changes in the expression profile of C. unicolor genes putatively engaged in proteolysis were found to be unique and specific to the applied wavelength of light. It was also demonstrated that the activity of proteases in the culture fluid and mycelium measured using natural and synthetic substrates was regulated by light and was substrate-dependent. A clear influence of light on protein turnover and the qualitative and quantitative changes in the hydrolytic degradation of proteins catalyzed by various types of proteases was shown. The analysis of activity associated with the 26S proteasome showed a key role of ATP-dependent proteolysis in the initial stages of adaptation of fungal cells to the stress factors. It was suggested that the light-sensing pathways in C. unicolor are cross-linked with stress signaling and secretion of proteases presumably serving as regulatory molecules.

Potentilla alba Extracts Affect the Viability and Proliferation of Non-Cancerous and Cancerous Colon Human Epithelial Cells

The aim of this study was to determine the anti-tumor activity of extracts isolated from Potentilla alba L. on human colon cancer cells of the HT-29 line and on non-cancer colon epithelial cells of the CCD 841 CoTr line. The research methods we used to determine the cytotoxic and proliferative properties were 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red (NR) assays, the ability to produce nitric oxide, the Griess method, and the biochemical properties like 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods indicating reduction activity of tested samples. In order to obtain a phytochemical profile of the different extracts an analytical method based on liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection-electrospray ionization ion-trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-PDA-ESI-MS/TOF) was applied. Finally, the effects of the extracts on the morphology and cell counts were assessed by May–Grünwald–Giemsa staining. After a comprehensive analysis of all the experiments, the extracts were found to demonstrate cytotoxic properties, they stimulated the division of non-cancer cells, and they were able to scavenge free radicals. In the NR method, the cell viability dropped to approximately 80% compared to the control. In the MTT assay, tumor cell proliferation decreased to 9.5% compared to the control. Therefore, we concluded that this plant has medical potential.

Recent findings on the role of fungal products in the treatment of cancer

In modern medicine, natural products have aided humans against their battles with cancer. Among these products, microorganisms, medicinal herbs and marine organisms are considered to be of great benefit. In recent decades, more than 30 fungal immunity proteins have been identified and proved to be extractable from a wide range of fungi, including mushrooms. Although chemotherapy is used to overcome cancer cells, the side effects of this method are of great concern in clinical practice. Fungal products and their derivatives constitute more than 50% of the clinical drugs currently being used globally. Approximately 60% of the clinically approved drugs for cancer treatment have natural roots. Anti-tumor immunotherapy is prospective with a rapidly growing market worldwide due to its high efficiency, immunity, and profit. Polysaccharide extracts from natural sources are being used in clinical and therapeutic trials on cancer patients. This review aims to present the latest findings in cancer treatment through isolated and extraction of fungal derivatives and other natural biomaterials.

Antioxidant Defenses: A Context-Specific Vulnerability of Cancer Cells

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are well known for their capacity to cause DNA damage, augment mutagenesis, and thereby promote oncogenic transformation. Similarly, agents that reduce ROS levels (antioxidants) are frequently thought to have anti-cancer properties given their propensity to minimize DNA damage and mutagenesis. However, numerous clinical studies focused on antioxidants suggest that this is a facile premise and that antioxidant capacity can be important for cancer cells in a similar fashion to normal cells. As a consequence of this realization, numerous laboratories have been motivated to investigate the biological underpinnings explaining how and when antioxidant activity can potentially be beneficial to cancer cells. Relatedly, it has become clear that the reliance of cancer cells on antioxidant activity in certain contexts represents a potential vulnerability that could be exploited for therapeutic gain. Here, we review some of the recent, exciting findings documenting how cancer cells utilized antioxidant activity and under what circumstances this activity could represent an opportunity for selective elimination of cancer cells.