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Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Medicinal Mushroom Trametes versicolor Interact with DNA: A Novel Genoactive Effect Contributing to Its Antiproliferative Activity in Cancer Cells

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Abstract

Trametes versicolor, a medicinal mushroom also known as Yunzhi, has been widely consumed in China as a dietary supplement by individuals diagnosed with various chronic diseases including cancer. Laboratory studies have shown that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Trametes versicolor enhance immune functions and also inhibit the growth of various cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. However, knowledge of the mechanism by which Trametes versicolor exerts its chemotherapeutic action remains incomplete. Efforts to identify its bioactive ingredients have resulted in the isolation of a heterogeneous family of polysaccharopeptides (PSPs). In this study, we investigated whether aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Trametes versicolor elicit its antitumor effects by interacting with and changing structure and function of DNA and this novel genoactivity might contribute to suppression of proliferation of human lung A549 cancer cells. Using pBR322 and pSJ3 supercoiled plasmid DNA as substrates, we showed that incubation of DNA with both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Trametes versicolor causes relaxation of double-stranded supercoiled DNA in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Comparatively, aqueous extracts showed higher conversion rates of supercoiled to relaxed DNA than ethanolic extracts. Aqueous extracts also significantly inhibited A549 lung cancer cell proliferation, downregulated proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression, as well as disrupted cell cycle progression via suppression of levels of cyclins D1 and B. This suggests that immunomodulatory and adjunctive supplementary chemopreventive potential underlying the overall health beneficial effects of Trametes versicolor may involve a novel genoactive activity with potential in altering DNA structure and function.

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Abbreviations

ATCC:

American Type Culture Conditions

CPT:

Camptothecin

ECL:

Enhanced chemiluminescence

FBS:

Fetal bovine serum

GMP:

Good Manufacturing Practice

MTT:

3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrasodium bromide

PBS:

Phosphate-buffered saline

PSPs:

Polysaccharopeptides isolated from the medicinal mushroom Trametes versicolor

UV-visible:

Ultraviolet-visible

YZ:

Yunzhi

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA

    Tze-Chen Hsieh, Hsiao Hsiang Chao, Yang Chu, Barbara B. Doonan & Joseph M. Wu

  2. Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China

    Yang Chu

Authors
  1. Tze-Chen Hsieh
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  2. Hsiao Hsiang Chao
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  3. Yang Chu
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  4. Barbara B. Doonan
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  5. Joseph M. Wu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph M. Wu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Chemistry, Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan

    Dinesh Chandra Agrawal

  2. Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

    Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran

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Hsieh, TC., Chao, H.H., Chu, Y., Doonan, B.B., Wu, J.M. (2019). Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Medicinal Mushroom Trametes versicolor Interact with DNA: A Novel Genoactive Effect Contributing to Its Antiproliferative Activity in Cancer Cells. In: Agrawal, D., Dhanasekaran, M. (eds) Medicinal Mushrooms. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6382-5_7

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