title: Medicinal Fungus Antrodia cinnamomea Inhibits Growth and Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
abstract: Background. Antrodia cinnamomea is an edible fungus commonly used in Asia as a well-known medicinal herb capable of treating drug intoxication and liver cancer. Methods. This study evaluated the anticancer activity of its biotechnological product, mycelial fermentation broth (AC-MFB) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay in vitro and syngeneic Balb/c 1MEA.7R.1 tumor implantation model in vivo. Given that cancer stem cell characteristics, such as angiogenesis, invasiveness, and migration, are known to cause recurrence, we further evaluated the effect of AC-MFB on cellular viability inhibition of HCC cells, angiogenic activity and migration of endothelial cells, and the release of proangiogenic factors from HCC cells. Results. We found that AC-MFB markedly inhibited the growth of HCC without hepatic enzyme abnormality. This anti-HCC activity was validated by growth-inhibitory effects on both cultured murine 1MEA.7R.1 and human HA22T/VGH HCC cells. For cancer stem cell characteristics, AC-MFB inhibited the cellular viability, migration, and tube formation activity of EA. hy926 and SVEC4-10 endothelial cells. Production of extracellular vascular endothelial growth factor and intracellular hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha from HCC cells was suppressed by AC-MFB. Conclusion. Antrodia cinnamomea could inhibit the growth and cancer stem cell characteristics of HCC cells.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan ; Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yu-Kuo
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Keng-Li
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Yu-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tung-Hu
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Yu-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen