title: Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) induces G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) water extract on human hepatoma cell lines, HepG2 and Hep3B cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cytotoxicity of Chaga extract was screened by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Morphological observation, flow cytometry analysis, Western blot were employed to elucidate the cytotoxic mechanism of Chaga extract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HepG2 cells were more sensitive to Chaga extract than Hep3B cells, as demonstrated by markedly reduced cell viability. Chaga extract inhibited the cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, which was accompanied with G0/G1-phase arrest and apoptotic cell death. In addition, G0/G1 arrest in the cell cycle was closely associated with down-regulation of p53, pRb, p27, cyclins D1, D2, E, cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 2, Cdk4, and Cdk6 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chaga mushroom may provide a new therapeutic option, as a potential anticancer agent, in the treatment of hepatoma.
authors.affiliation: Vestibulocochlear Research Center, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, #344-2, Shinyoung-dong, Iksan, Jeonbuk 570-749, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung-Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Youn
authors.forename: Jin-Kyung
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong-Yeol
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yunha
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Se-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin-Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyu-Yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Hye-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ming-Xun
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Hong-Seob
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: Ki-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Raekil
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D016192:Resting Phase, Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D003603:Cytotoxins