title: Methanolic Extract of Ganoderma lucidum Induces Autophagy of AGS Human Gastric Tumor Cells.
abstract: Ganoderma lucidum is one of the most widely studied mushroom species, particularly in what concerns its medicinal properties. Previous studies (including those from some of us) have shown some evidence that the methanolic extract of G. lucidum affects cellular autophagy. However, it was not known if it induces autophagy or decreases the autophagic flux. The treatment of a gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (AGS) with the mushroom extract increased the formation of autophagosomes (vacuoles typical from autophagy). Moreover, the cellular levels of LC3-II were also increased, and the cellular levels of p62 decreased, confirming that the extract affects cellular autophagy. Treating the cells with the extract together with lysossomal protease inhibitors, the cellular levels of LC3-II and p62 increased. The results obtained proved that, in AGS cells, the methanolic extract of G. lucidum causes an induction of autophagy, rather than a reduction in the autophagic flux. To our knowledge, this is the first study proving that statement.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4099-002, Portugal. patricia.morales@farm.ucm.es.|Cancer Drug Resistance Group, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 45, Porto 4200-135, Portugal. patricia.morales@farm.ucm.es.|Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Pza Ramón y Cajal, s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain. patricia.morales@farm.ucm.es.|Mountain Research Center (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Apartado 1172, Bragança 5301-855, Portugal. patricia.morales@farm.ucm.es.
authors.forename: Filipa S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4099-002, Portugal. rlima@ipatimup.pt.|Cancer Drug Resistance Group, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 45, Porto 4200-135, Portugal. rlima@ipatimup.pt.|Department of Pathology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, Porto 4200-319, Portugal. rlima@ipatimup.pt.
authors.forename: Raquel T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Pza Ramón y Cajal, s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain. patricia.morales@farm.ucm.es.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Center (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Apartado 1172, Bragança 5301-855, Portugal. iferreira@ipb.pt.
authors.forename: Isabel C F R
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4099-002, Portugal. hvasconcelos@ipatimup.pt.|Cancer Drug Resistance Group, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 45, Porto 4200-135, Portugal. hvasconcelos@ipatimup.pt.|Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n.° 228, Porto 4050-313, Portugal. hvasconcelos@ipatimup.pt.
authors.forename: M Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000737:chemistry; D020940:Reishi / Q000737:chemistry*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; C017616:phenolic acid
keywords: Ganoderma lucidum; antitumor potential; autophagy; methanolic extract; programmed cell death (PCD)