title: Antiproliferative and immunostimulatory activity of a protein from Pleurotus eryngii.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, the use of mushrooms as functional foods, nutraceuticals or phytopharmaceuticals source has risen. In contrast, the possible cellular cytotoxicity and immunostimulatory activity of Pleurotus eryngii (DC. ex Fr.) Quel protein (PEQP) is unknown. Here we report extraction, anti-tumorigenic and immunostimulatory activity of PEQP in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PEQP was extracted from the dried fruiting bodies of P. eryngii, purified and characterised. Its in vitro antiproliferative activity was then evaluated in human non-small cell lung cancer A549 (NSCLC), stomach adenocarcinoma BGC-823, hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and gastric carcinoma HGC-27 cell lines using conventional cancer drugs (paclitaxel, doxorubicin and mitomycin C) as positive controls. The protein fractions (PEQP 1, 2, 3 and 4) obtained inhibited tumour cell proliferation dose-dependently with fraction PEQP 2 having significant (P < 0.05) toxicity in all tumour cells. PEQP had no significant toxicity on normal liver Chang cells but their proliferation was significantly inhibited by mitomycin C. Moreover, PEQP stimulated the proliferation, lysosomal enzyme activity, pinocytosis, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide production of RAW 264.7 cell lines dose-dependently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these results, P. eryngii protein has a potential application in functional foods as a natural anti-tumour agent with immunostimulatory activity.
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang Rd, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Alfred Mugambi
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mariga
authors.forename: Wen-Jian
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dorothy Kemuma
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mugambi
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Li-yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ya-ni
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Qiuhui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048690:Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D008175:Lung Neoplasms; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D020076:Pleurotus / Q000737:chemistry*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins
keywords: Pleurotus eryngii (DC. ex Fr.) Quel protein; antiproliferative activity; characterisation; extraction; immunomodulatory activity