title: In vitro antitumor effects of the cold-water extracts of Mediterranean species of genus Pleurotus (higher Basidiomycetes) on human colon cancer cells.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the cold-water extracts of Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae (CWE-Pef) and Pleurotus nebrodensis (CWE-Pn), 2 of the most prized wild and cultivated edible mushrooms, can affect the tumor phenotype of human colon cancer HCT116 cells. Our results showed that treatment with CWE-Pef and CWE-Pn resulted in a significant inhibition of the viability of HCT116 cells and promoted apoptosis, as also demonstrated by the increase of Bax-to-Bcl-2 messenger RNA ratio. Moreover, we observed that both extracts were able to inhibit cell migration and to affect homotypic and heterotypic cell-cell adhesion. It also was found that treatment with CWE-Pef and CWE-Pn negatively modulated the phosphorylation of the protein tyrosine as well as the phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. In conclusion, the in vitro antitumor effects of CWE-Pef and CWE-Pn indicate that they can be considered as possible sources for new alternative therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Methodologies, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Methodologies, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flugy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Methodologies, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Odessa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schillaci
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Methodologies, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannizzaro
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Universita degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Letizia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gargano
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Methodologies, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Leo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Universita degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Venturella
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathology and Medical and Forensic Methodologies, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alessandro
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020076:Pleurotus / Q000737:chemistry*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein