Protective effects of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) against hepatic steatosis in ovariectomized mice as a model of postmenopausal women

Mechanism-Driven and Clinically Focused Development of Botanical Foods as Multitarget Anticancer Medicine: Collective Perspectives and Insights from Preclinical Studies, IND Applications and Early-Phase Clinical Trials

Cancer progression and mortality remain challenging because of current obstacles and limitations in cancer treatment. Continuous efforts are being made to explore complementary and alternative approaches to alleviate the suffering of cancer patients. Epidemiological and nutritional studies have indicated that consuming botanical foods is linked to a lower risk of cancer incidence and/or improved cancer prognosis after diagnosis. From these observations, a variety of preclinical and clinical studies have been carried out to evaluate the potential of botanical food products as anticancer medicines. Unfortunately, many investigations have been poorly designed, and encouraging preclinical results have not been translated into clinical success. Botanical products contain a wide variety of chemicals, making them more difficult to study than traditional drugs. In this review, with the consideration of the regulatory framework of the USFDA, we share our collective experiences and lessons learned from 20 years of defining anticancer foods, focusing on the critical aspects of preclinical studies that are required for an IND application, as well as the checkpoints needed for early-phase clinical trials. We recommend a developmental pipeline that is based on mechanisms and clinical considerations.

Mushrooms on the plate: Trends towards NAFLD treatment, health improvement and sustainable diets

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a most important cause of liver disease. Similar to other non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as obesity and type II diabetes mellitus, NAFLD can strongly affected by diet. Diet-related NCD and malnutrition are rising in all regions being a major cause of the global health, economic and environmental burdens. Mushrooms, important dietary components since the hunter-gathering communities, have increasingly gained momentum in biomedical research and therapeutics due to their interplay in metabolism traits. We emphasize here the beneficial effects of mushroom-enriched diets on the homeostasis of lipid and sugar metabolism, including their modulation, but also interfering with insulin metabolism, gut microbiota, inflammation, oxidative stress and autophagy. In this review, we describe the cellular and molecular mechanisms at the gut-liver axis and the liver-white adipose tissue (WAT) axis, that plausibly cause such positive modulation, and discuss the potential of mushroom-enriched diets to prevent or ameliorate NAFLD and related NCD, also within the shift needed towards healthy sustainable diets.

White Button Mushroom Extracts Modulate Hepatic Fibrosis Progression, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress In Vitro and in LDLR-/- Mice

Liver fibrosis can be caused by non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), among other conditions. We performed a study to analyze the effects of a nontoxic, water-soluble extract of the edible mushroom Agaricus bisporus (AB) as a potential inhibitor of fibrosis progression in vitro using human hepatic stellate cell (LX2) cultures and in vivo in LDLR-/- mice. Treatment of LX2 cells with the AB extract reduced the levels of fibrotic and oxidative-related markers and increased the levels of GATA4 expression. In LDLR-/- mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced liver fibrosis and inflammation, the progression of fibrosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis were prevented by AB extract treatment. Moreover, in the mouse model, AB extract could exert an antiatherogenic effect. These data suggest that AB mushroom extract seems to exert protective effects by alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress during the progression of liver fibrosis, possibly due to a decrease in Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression and a reduction in Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. In addition, we observed a potential atheroprotective effect in our mouse model.

Improvement in Menopause-Associated Hepatic Lipid Metabolic Disorders by Herbal Formula HPC03 on Ovariectomized Rats

Postmenopausal women have an increased risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We formulated a combination of three herb mixtures (HPC03) and observed lipid-lowering efficacy. HepG2 cells were treated with oleic acid to induce an NAFLD model (in vitro). Also, we investigated potential of HPC03 in an ovariectomize- (OVX-) induced NAFLD model (in vivo). We separated the mice into six groups, as follows: SHAM, OVX, OVX + β-estradiol, and OVX + HPC03 (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg). Rats were administered with/without HPC03 for 12 weeks. HPC03 dose dependently inhibited the lipid accumulation involved in lipogenesis in HepG2 cells. The body weight, fat mass, and weights of the liver were decreased in the OVX group than that in the other groups. HPC03 had decreased adiposity that was induced by OVX. HPC03 treatment reduced liver lipid deposition and prevented the increase in serum and liver triglyceride export when there was a deficiency in estradiol. HPC03 improves OVX-induced fatty liver and lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that HPC03 from postmenopausal women has a protective effect during NAFLD conditions.

Doxycycline transfer from substrate to white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and assessment of the potential consumer exposure

The presence of antibiotic residues in the food chain may pose a serious risk to human health. Locating and evaluating new sources of consumer exposure to antibiotic residues in food is a very important element of health protection. The possibility of doxycycline uptake from the substrate for mushroom cultivation by the white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) fruit body was investigated. Mushrooms were experimentally cultivated on substrate contaminated with 8 different doxycycline concentrations in substrate and analyte concentrations in mushroom samples were measured using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) The obtained results clearly indicated that doxycycline transfers from contaminated substrate to mushrooms at concentrations ranging from 0.87 to 72.3 µg/kg, depending on substrate contamination concentration level and order of harvesting.

Agaricus bisporus supplementation reduces high-fat diet-induced body weight gain and fatty liver development

Obesity is a global epidemic characterized not only by excessive fat deposition but also by important complications such as nonalcoholic liver steatosis. Beneficial antiobesogenic effects have been described for some mushrooms. The current study aimed to demonstrate the protective effect of Agaricus bisporus (AB) supplementation against the metabolic alterations induced by high-fat-diet (HFD) feeding. Eight-week-old C57BL/6J mice were fed for 10 weeks with one of the following diets: (1) control diet (n = 7), (2) HFD (n = 7), (3) HFD supplemented with 5% AB (n = 9), and (4) HFD supplemented with 10% AB (n = 9). A pair-fed group was also included for the 10% AB group (n = 6). The impact of AB supplementation on food intake, body weight gain, and liver and fat pad weights was examined. Biochemical, histological, and molecular parameters were also analyzed. Dietary supplementation with 10% AB reduced the HFD-induced increase in body, epididymal, and mesenteric fat weights (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively). Supplementation with AB also reduced liver damage in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001). This effect was confirmed by histological analysis that showed that liver steatosis was markedly reduced in mice fed with AB. The beneficial properties of 10% AB supplementation appear to be mediated through a decrease in food intake and via stimulation of mesenteric and hepatic free-fatty acid beta-oxidation, along with a decrease in epidydimal and hepatic expression of CD36. In conclusion, supplementation with AB prevents excessive body weight gain and liver steatosis induced by HFD consumption.

Suppression Effect of Astaxanthin on Osteoclast Formation In Vitro and Bone Loss In Vivo

Osteoporosis is characterized by a reduction of the bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitectural deterioration of the bone, which lead to bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. Astaxanthin (AST) has a variety of biological activities, such as a protective effect against asthma or neuroinflammation, antioxidant effect, and decrease of the osteoclast number in the right mandibles in the periodontitis model. Although treatment with AST is known to have an effect on inflammation, no studies on the effect of AST exposure on bone loss have been performed. Thus, in the present study, we examined the antiosteoporotic effect of AST on bone mass in ovariectomized (OVX) mice and its possible mechanism of action. The administration of AST (5, 10 mg/kg) for 6 weeks suppressed the enhancement of serum calcium, inorganic phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity. The bone mineral density (BMD) and bone microarchitecture of the trabecular bone in the tibia and femur were recovered by AST exposure. Moreover, in the in vitro experiment, we demonstrated that AST inhibits osteoclast formation through the expression of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) c1, dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP), TRAP, and cathepsin K without any cytotoxic effects on bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). Therefore, we suggest that AST may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Natural products as modulators of the nuclear receptors and metabolic sensors LXR, FXR and RXR

Nuclear receptors (NRs) represent attractive targets for the treatment of metabolic syndrome-related diseases. In addition, natural products are an interesting pool of potential ligands since they have been refined under evolutionary pressure to interact with proteins or other biological targets. This review aims to briefly summarize current basic knowledge regarding the liver X (LXR) and farnesoid X receptors (FXR) that form permissive heterodimers with retinoid X receptors (RXR). Natural product-based ligands for these receptors are summarized and the potential of LXR, FXR and RXR as targets in precision medicine is discussed.

Honokiol Improves Liver Steatosis in Ovariectomized Mice

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease, and is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome. Postmenopausal women with estrogen deficiency are at a higher risk of progression to NAFLD. Estrogen has a protective effect against the progression of the disease. Currently, there are no safe and effective treatments for these liver diseases in postmenopausal women. Honokiol (Ho), a bioactive natural product derived from Magnolia spp, has anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-oxidative properties. In our study, we investigated the beneficial effects of Ho on NAFLD in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. We divided the mice into four groups, as follows: SHAM, OVX, OVX+β-estradiol (0.4 mg/kg of bodyweight), and OVX+Ho (50 mg/kg of diet). Mice were fed diets with/without Ho for 12 weeks. The bodyweight, epidermal fat, and weights of liver tissue were lower in the OVX group than in the other groups. Ho improved hepatic steatosis and reduced proinflammatory cytokine levels. Moreover, Ho markedly downregulated plasma lipid levels. Our results indicate that Ho ameliorated OVX-induced fatty liver and inflammation, as well as associated lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that Ho may be hepatoprotective against NAFLD in postmenopausal women.

Ligands of Therapeutic Utility for the Liver X Receptors

Liver X receptors (LXRs) have been increasingly recognized as a potential therapeutic target to treat pathological conditions ranging from vascular and metabolic diseases, neurological degeneration, to cancers that are driven by lipid metabolism. Amidst intensifying efforts to discover ligands that act through LXRs to achieve the sought-after pharmacological outcomes, several lead compounds are already being tested in clinical trials for a variety of disease interventions. While more potent and selective LXR ligands continue to emerge from screening of small molecule libraries, rational design, and empirical medicinal chemistry approaches, challenges remain in minimizing undesirable effects of LXR activation on lipid metabolism. This review provides a summary of known endogenous, naturally occurring, and synthetic ligands. The review also offers considerations from a molecular modeling perspective with which to design more specific LXRβ ligands based on the interaction energies of ligands and the important amino acid residues in the LXRβ ligand binding domain.

Antimicrobial Potential, Identification and Phylogenetic Affiliation of Wild Mushrooms from Two Sub-Tropical Semi-Evergreen Indian Forest Ecosystems

The diversity of wild mushrooms was investigated from two protected forest areas in India and 231 mushroom specimens were morphologically identified. Among them, 76 isolates were screened for their antimicrobial potential against seven bacterial and fungal pathogens. Out of 76 isolates, 45 isolates which displayed significant antimicrobial activities were identified using ITS rRNA gene amplification and subsequently phylogenetically characterized using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Sequencing of the ITS rRNA region classified the isolates into 16 genera belonging to 11 families. In total, 11 RAPD and 10 ISSR primers were selected to evaluate genetic diversity based on their banding profile produced. In total 337 RAPD and 312 ISSR bands were detected, among which percentage of polymorphism ranges from 34.2% to 78.8% and 38.6% to 92.4% by using RAPD and ISSR primers respectively. Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) trees of selected two methods were structured similarly, grouping the 46 isolates into two clusters which clearly showed a significant genetic distance among the different strains of wild mushroom, with an similarity coefficient ranges from 0.58 to 1.00 and 0.59 to 1.00 with RAPD and ISSR analysis respectively. This reporthas highlighted both DTR and MNP forests provide a habitat for diverse macrofungal species, therefore having the potential to be used for the discovery of antimicrobials. The report has also demonstrated that both RAPD and ISSR could efficiently differentiate wild mushrooms and could thus be considered as efficient markers for surveying genetic diversity. Additionally, selected six wild edible mushroom strains (Schizophyllum commune BPSM01, Panusgiganteus BPSM27, Pleurotussp. BPSM34, Lentinussp. BPSM37, Pleurotusdjamor BPSM41 and Lentinula sp. BPSM45) were analysed for their nutritional (proteins, carbohydrates, fat and ash content), antioxidant potential. The present findings also suggested that the wild edible mushroom strains do not have only nutritional values but also can be used as an accessible source of natural antioxidants.

Effects of 4-week continuous ingestion of champignon extract on halitosis and body and fecal odor

This was placebo-controlled double-blind parallel-group comparative clinical trial targeting 80 men and women aged 50–79 years with halitosis and body and fecal odor. We investigated whether daily champignon extract ingestion for 4 weeks improved these conditions. Subjects were divided into four groups: a placebo group and 50, 500, and 1000 mg/day ingestion groups. No severe adverse events or side effects were noted during the study period. Compared with the placebo group, all champignon extract ingestion groups showed improvement or tendency toward improvement in halitosis and body and fecal odor. Furthermore, our results suggested that the effectiveness of champignon extract in alleviating odors is dose-dependent, i.e., it increases with the dosage.

Modulation of Cholesterol-Related Gene Expression by Dietary Fiber Fractions from Edible Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a source of dietary fiber (DF) with a cholesterol-lowering effect. However, their underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The effect of DF-enriched fractions from three mushrooms species on cholesterol-related expression was studied in vitro. The Pleurotus ostreatus DF fraction (PDF) was used in mice models to assess its potential palliative or preventive effect against hypercholesterolemia. PDF induced a transcriptional response in Caco-2 cells, suggesting a possible cholesterol-lowering effect. In the palliative setting, PDF reduced hepatic triglyceride likely because Dgat1 was downregulated. However, cholesterol-related biochemical data showed no changes and no relation with the observed transcriptional modulation. In the preventive setting, PDF modulated cholesterol-related genes expression in a manner similar to that of simvastatin and ezetimibe in the liver, although no changes in plasma and liver biochemical data were induced. Therefore, PDF may be useful reducing hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Because it induced a molecular response similar to hypocholesterolemic drugs in liver, further dose-dependent studies should be carried out.

A phase I trial of mushroom powder in patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer: Roles of cytokines and myeloid-derived suppressor cells for Agaricus bisporus-induced prostate-specific antigen responses

BACKGROUND

Each year in the United States, nearly 50,000 prostate cancer patients exhibit a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, which can indicate disease recurrence. For patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer, we evaluated the effects of white button mushroom (WBM) powder on serum PSA levels and determined the tolerability and biological activity of WBM.

METHODS

Patients with continuously rising PSA levels were enrolled in the study. Dose escalation was conducted in cohorts of 6; this ensured that no more than 1 patient per cohort experienced dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). The primary objective was to evaluate treatment feasibility and associated toxicity. The secondary objectives were to determine WBM's effect on serum PSA/androgen levels; myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs); and cytokine levels.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients were treated; no DLTs were encountered. The overall PSA response rate was 11%. Two patients receiving 8 and 14 g/d demonstrated complete response (CR): their PSA declined to undetectable levels that continued for 49 and 30 months. Two patients who received 8 and 12 g/d experienced partial response (PR). After 3 months of therapy, 13 (36%) patients experienced some PSA decrease below baseline. Patients with CR and PR demonstrated higher levels of baseline interleukin-15 than nonresponders; for this group, we observed therapy-associated declines in MDSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapy with WBM appears to both impact PSA levels and modulate the biology of biochemically recurrent prostate cancer by decreasing immunosuppressive factors.

Mushrooms-Biologically Distinct and Nutritionally Unique: Exploring a "Third Food Kingdom"

Mushrooms are fungi, biologically distinct from plant- and animal-derived foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, protein [meat, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts, and seeds]) that comprise the US Department of Agriculture food patterns operationalized by consumer-focused MyPlate messages. Although mushrooms provide nutrients found in these food groups, they also have a unique nutrient profile. Classified into food grouping systems by their use as a vegetable, mushrooms’ increasing use in main entrées in plant-based diets is growing, supporting consumers’ efforts to follow dietary guidance recommendations. Mushrooms’ nutrient and culinary characteristics suggest it may be time to reevaluate food groupings and health benefits in the context of 3 separate food kingdoms: plants/botany, animals/zoology, and fungi/mycology.

Ovarian-cell-like cells from skin stem cells restored estradiol production and estrus cycling in ovariectomized mice

Reduction of estradiol production and high serum concentrations of follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) are endocrine disorders associated with premature ovarian failure. Here, we report that transplantation of ovarian-like cells differentiated from stem cells restored endogenous serum estradiol levels. Stem cells were isolated from postnatal mouse skin and differentiated into ovarian-cell-like cells that are consistent with female germ, and ovarian follicle somatic cells. The ovarian-cell-like cells were transplanted into ovariectomized mice (Cell Trans), whereas control mice were subjected to bilateral ovariectomies without cell transplantation (OVX). Using vaginal cytology analysis, it was revealed that in 13 out of 19 Cell Trans mice, estrus cycles were restored around 8 weeks after cell transplantation and were maintained until 16 weeks post-transplantation, whereas in the OVX group, all mice were arrested at metestrus/diestrus of the estrus cycle. The uterine weight in the Cell Trans group was similar to sham operation mice (Sham OP), while severe uterine atrophy and a decreased uterine weight were observed in the OVX group. Histologically, ectopic follicle-like structures and blood vessels were found within and around the transplants. At 12-14 weeks after cell transplantation, mean serum estradiol level in Cell Trans mice (178.0±35 pg/mL) was comparable to that of the Sham OP group (188.9±29 pg/mL), whereas it was lower in the OVX group (59.0±4 pg/mL). Serum FSH concentration increased in the OVX group (1.62±0.32 ng/mL) compared with the Sham OP group (0.39±0.34 ng/mL). Cell Trans mice had a similar FSH level (0.94±0.23 ng/mL; P<0.05) to Sham OP mice. Our results suggest that ovarian somatic cells differentiated from stem cells are functional in vivo. In addition to providing insights into the function of ovarian somatic cells derived from stem cells, our study may offer potential therapeutic means for patients with hypo-estradiol levels like those encountered in premature ovarian failure.

COHCAP: an integrative genomic pipeline for single-nucleotide resolution DNA methylation analysis

COHCAP (City of Hope CpG Island Analysis Pipeline) is an algorithm to analyze single-nucleotide resolution DNA methylation data produced by either an Illumina methylation array or targeted bisulfite sequencing. The goal of the COHCAP algorithm is to identify CpG islands that show a consistent pattern of methylation among CpG sites. COHCAP is currently the only DNA methylation package that provides integration with gene expression data to identify a subset of CpG islands that are most likely to regulate downstream gene expression, and it can generate lists of differentially methylated CpG islands with ∼50% concordance with gene expression from both cell line data and heterogeneous patient data. For example, this article describes known breast cancer biomarkers (such as estrogen receptor) with a negative correlation between DNA methylation and gene expression. COHCAP also provides visualization for quality control metrics, regions of differential methylation and correlation between methylation and gene expression. This software is freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/cohcap/.

The inactivation kinetics of polyphenol oxidase in mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) during thermal and thermosonic treatments

The effect of thermal and thermosonic treatments on the inactivation kinetics of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) was studied in 55-75°C temperature range. In both the processes, the inactivation kinetics of PPO followed a first-order kinetics (R(2)=0.941-0.989). The D values during thermal inactivation varied from 112±8.4min to 1.2±0.07min while they varied from 57.8±6.1min to 0.88±0.05min during thermosonic inactivation at the same temperature range. The activation energy during thermal inactivation was found to be 214±17kJ/mol, while it was 183±32kJ/mol during thermosonic inactivation. The inactivating effect of combined ultrasound and heat was found to synergistically enhance the inactivation kinetics of PPO. The D values of PPO decreased by 1.3-3 times during thermosonic inactivation compared to the D values of PPO during thermal inactivation at the temperature range. Therefore, thermosonication can be further developed as an alternative to "hot break" process of mushroom.

Extract of Kuding tea prevents high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorders in C57BL/6 mice via liver X receptor (LXR) β antagonism

Objective

To investigate the effects of ilex kudingcha C. J. Tseng (kuding tea), a traditional beverage in China, on the metabolic disorders in C57BL/6 mice induced by high-fat diets.

Design

For the preventive experiment, the female C57BL/6 mice were fed with a standard diet (Chow), high-fat diet (HF), and high-fat diet mixed with 0.05% ethanol extract of kuding tea (EK) for 5 weeks. For the therapeutic experiment, the C57BL/6 mice were fed high-fat diet for 3 months, and then mice were split and EK was given with oral gavages for 2 weeks at 50 mg/day/kg. Body weight and daily food intake amounts were measured. At the end of treatment, the adipocyte images were assayed with a scanning electron microscope, and the fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance test, serum lipid profile and lipids in the livers were analyzed. A reporter gene assay system was used to test the whether EK could act on nuclear receptor transcription factors, and the gene expression analysis was performed with a quantitative PCR assay.

Results

In the preventive treatment, EK blocked the body weight gain, reduced the size of the adipocytes, lowered serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance in high-fat diet-fed C57BL/6 mice. In the therapeutic treatment, EK reduced the size of the white adipocytes, serum TG and fasting blood glucose levels in obese mice. With the reporter assay, EK inhibited LXRβ transactivity and mRNA expression of LXRβ target genes.

Conclusion

We observed that EK has both preventive and therapeutic roles in metabolic disorders in mice induced with high-fat diets. The effects appear to be mediated through the antagonism of LXRβ transactivity. Our data indicate that kuding tea is a useful dietary therapy and a potential source for the development of novel anti-obesity and lipid lowering drugs.

Kinetics and thermodynamics of the thermal inactivation of polyphenol oxidase in an aqueous extract from Agaricus bisporus

The kinetics and thermodynamics of the thermal inactivation of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in an aqueous extract from mushroom Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) Imbach was studied, using pyrocatechol as a substrate. Optimal conditions for enzymatic studies were determined to be pH 7.0 and 35-40 °C. The kinetics of PPO-catalyzed oxidation of pyrocatechol followed the Haldane model with an optimum substrate concentration of 20 mM. Thermal inactivation of PPO was examined in more detail between 50 and 73 °C and in relation to exposure time. Obtained monophasic kinetics were adequately described by a first-order model, with significant inactivation occurring with increasing temperature (less than 10% preserved activity after 6 min at 65 °C). Arrhenius plot determination and calculated thermodynamic parameters suggest that the PPO in aqueous extract from Agaricus bisporus mushroom is a structurally robust yet temperature-sensitive biocatalyst whose inactivation process is mainly entropy-driven.