Inhibitory activity of medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum on colorectal cancer by attenuating inflammation

Sporoderm-broken spores of Ganoderma lucidum modulate hepatoblastoma malignancy by regulating RACK1-mediated autophagy and tumour immunity

Hepatoblastoma (HB), a primary liver tumour, is notorious for its high metastatic potential and poor prognosis. Ganoderma lucidum, an edible mushroom species utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for addressing various tumour types, presents an intriguing avenue for HB treatment. However, the effectiveness of G. lucidum in managing HB and its underlying molecular mechanism necessitates further exploration. Standard in vitro assays were conducted to evaluate the impact of sporoderm-broken spores of G. lucidum (SBSGL) on the malignant characteristics of HB cells. The mechanism of SBSGL in treating HB and its tumour immunomodulatory effects were explored and validated by various experiments, including immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus transfection and co-localization analysis, as well as verified with in vivo experiments in this regard. The results showed that SBSGL effectively inhibited the malignant traits of HB cells and suppressed the O-GlcNAcylation of RACK1, thereby reducing its expression. In addition, SBSGL inhibited immune checkpoints and regulated cytokines. In conclusion, SBSGL had immunomodulatory effects and regulated the malignancy and autophagy of HB by regulating the O-GlcNAcylation of RACK1. These findings suggest that SBSGL holds promise as a potential anticancer drug for HB treatment.

Exploring the anti-cancer potential of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLPs) and their versatile role in enhancing drug delivery systems: a multifaceted approach to combat cancer

There has been a growing global interest in the potential health benefits of edible natural bioactive products in recent years. Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal mushroom, has gained attention for its decadent array of therapeutic and pharmaceutical compounds. Notably, G. lucidum exhibits significant anti-cancer effects against various cancer types. Polysaccharides, a prominent component in G. lucidum, are pivotal in conferring its diverse biological and medicinal properties. The primary focus of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer activities of G. lucidum polysaccharides (GLPs), with particular attention to their potential to mitigate chemotherapy-associated toxicity and enhance targeted drug delivery. Our findings reveal that GLPs exhibit anti-cancer effects through diverse mechanisms, including cytotoxicity, antioxidative properties, apoptosis induction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and anti-proliferative effects. Furthermore, the potential of GLPs-based nanoparticles (NPs) as delivery vehicles for bioactive constituents was explored. These GLPs-based NPs are designed to target various cancer tissues, enhancing the biological activity of encapsulated compounds. As such, GLPs derived from G. lucidum represent a promising avenue for inhibiting cancer progression, minimizing chemotherapy-related side effects, and supporting their utilization in combination therapies as natural adjuncts.

Natural Bio-Compounds from Ganoderma lucidum and Their Beneficial Biological Actions for Anticancer Application: A Review

Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) has been known for many centuries in Asian countries under different names, varying depending on the country. The objective of this review is to investigate the scientific research on the natural active bio-compounds in extracts obtained from G. lucidum with significant biological actions in the treatment of cancer. This review presents the classes of bio-compounds existing in G. lucidum that have been reported over time in the main databases and have shown important biological actions in the treatment of cancer. The results highlight the fact that G. lucidum possesses important bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, triterpenoids, sterols, proteins, nucleotides, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, which have been demonstrated to exhibit multiple anticancer effects, namely immunomodulatory, anti-proliferative, cytotoxic, and antioxidant action. The potential health benefits of G. lucidum are systematized based on biological actions. The findings present evidence regarding the lack of certainty about the effects of G. lucidum bio-compounds in treating different forms of cancer, which may be due to the use of different types of Ganoderma formulations, differences in the study populations, or due to drug-disease interactions. In the future, larger clinical trials are needed to clarify the potential benefits of pharmaceutical preparations of G. lucidum, standardized by the known active components in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

The medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum prevents lung tumorigenesis induced by tobacco smoke carcinogens

Ganoderma lucidum (GL), commonly known as "Lingzhi", is a well-known medicinal mushroom with antioxidant and anti-cancer activity. This study examined the effects of a commercial GL product (GLSF) containing the spore and fruiting body in a 30:8 ratio on tobacco smoke carcinogen-induced lung toxicity and carcinogenesis. The potential chemopreventive effect of GLSF was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The non-tumorous human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells) were treated with GLSF extract (0.025 and 0.05 mg/mL), which significantly blocked malignant transformation induced by benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) in a dose-dependent manner. To confirm its anti-carcinogenic activity in vivo, the mice were pre-treated with GLSF (2.0 g/kg of body weight) or curcumin (100 mg/kg of body weight) by oral gavage daily for 7 days and then exposed to a single dose of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) (125 mg/kg of body weight). The GLSF-treated mice showed a significant reduction in B[a]P-induced lung toxicity, as indicated by decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity, malondialdehyde levels, inflammatory cell infiltration, and improved lung histopathology. We next determined the chemopreventive activity of GLSF in mice which were exposed to two weekly doses of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK, 100 mg/kg, on the 1st and 8th days) and fed with control or a modified diet containing GLSF (2.0 g/kg) or metformin (250 mg/kg) for 33 weeks. The GLSF and metformin treatments blocked NNK-induced lung tumor development by decreasing the lung weight, tumor area, and tumor burden compared to the mice exposed to NNK only. GLSF treatment also attenuated the expression of inflammatory, angiogenic, and apoptotic markers in lung tumors. Therefore, GLSF may be used for ameliorating tobacco smoke carcinogens-induced lung toxicity and carcinogenesis.

Mycochemicals against Cancer Stem Cells

Since ancient times, mushrooms have been considered valuable allies of human well-being both from a dietary and medicinal point of view. Their essential role in several traditional medicines is explained today by the discovery of the plethora of biomolecules that have shown proven efficacy for treating various diseases, including cancer. Numerous studies have already been conducted to explore the antitumoural properties of mushroom extracts against cancer. Still, very few have reported the anticancer properties of mushroom polysaccharides and mycochemicals against the specific population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). In this context, β-glucans are relevant in modulating immunological surveillance against this subpopulation of cancer cells within tumours. Small molecules, less studied despite their spread and assortment, could exhibit the same importance. In this review, we discuss several pieces of evidence of the association between β-glucans and small mycochemicals in modulating biological mechanisms which are proven to be involved with CSCs development. Experimental evidence and an in silico approach are evaluated with the hope of contributing to future strategies aimed at the direct study of the action of these mycochemicals on this subpopulation of cancer cells.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide peptide alleviates hyperuricemia by regulating adenosine deaminase and urate transporters

Hyperuricemia (HUA) affects human health and is involved in the pathogenesis of common chronic diseases. Previous studies showed that Ganoderma lucidum extract lowered HUA in animals. However, the active ingredient and pharmacological mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum extract in the improvement of HUA are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-HUA efficacy and related mechanism of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide peptide (GLPP) using a potassium oxonate (PO)-induced mouse model and an adenosine-induced cell model. The experimental results showed that blood uric acid (UA) was decreased up to 40.6% by GLPP in HUA mice in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, GLPP significantly reduced UA production by inhibiting the hepatic and blood adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity and increased UA excretion by decreasing the expression of glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) and increasing the expression of organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) in kidney. The adenosine-induced cell model showed that the inhibitory effect of GLPP on ADA activity may be the main reason for the alleviation of HUA by GLPP. Furthermore, PO-induced renal histopathological damage was also alleviated by GLPP in a dose-dependent manner. The experimental results in this study indicated that GLPP exerted anti-HUA effects via regulating the UA production and excretion, suggesting that GLPP could be developed into a therapeutic agent for HUA.

Ganoderma lucidum Modulates Inflammatory Responses following 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) Administration in Mice

Ganoderma lucidum, one of the most valued medicinal mushrooms, has been used for health supplements and medicine in China. Our previous studies have proved that Ganoderma lucidum extract (GLE) could inhibit activation of microglia and protect dopaminergic neurons in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory potential of GLE in vivo on Parkinsonian-like pathological dysfunction. Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) lesion, and a treatment group was administered intragastrically with GLE at a dose of 400 mg/kg. Immunohistochemistry staining showed that GLE efficiently repressed MPTP-induced microglia activation in nigrostriatal region. Accordingly, Bio-plex multiple cytokine assay indicated that GLE treatment modulates abnormal cytokine expression levels. In microglia BV-2 cells incubated with LPS, increased expression of iNOS and NLRP3 were effectively inhibited by 800 μg/mL GLE. Furthermore, GLE treatment decreased the expression of LC3II/I, and further enhanced the expression of P62. These results indicated that the neuroprotection of GLE in an experimental model of PD was partially related to inhibition of microglia activation in vivo and vitro, possibly through downregulating the iNOS/NLRP3 pathway, inhibiting abnormal microglial autophagy and lysosomal degradation, which provides new evidence for Ganoderma lucidum in PD treatment.