Mushroom as new repository for small bioactive molecules for anticancer efficacy

Abstract

Approximately 270 species of mushrooms have been reported as potentially useful for human health. However, few mushrooms have
been studied so far in treating various diseases. Like other natural regimens, the mushroom treatment appears safe, as could be expected
from their long culinary and medicinal use. At present, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Nearly 10 million deaths were
recorded globally from different cancers in 2020. We have screened the anti-proliferative and apoptotic potentials of more than thirty
species of mushroom for their anticancer activity. The result reflects that a wild and edible mushroom, Astraeus hygrometricus, selectively
induces robust apoptosis in MOLT-4 cells by targeting the G0/G1 stage of the cell cycle. A unique triterpene, astrakurkurone, isolated
from this mushroom induces robust apoptosis by disrupting the mitochondrial membrane potential, augmenting reactive oxygen
species (ROS) and RNS production. Induction of apoptosis is through activation of the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway by upregulating
BIM, a pro-apoptotic protein, and down-regulating XIAP, a survival protein. It also downregulates the phosphorylated AKT, which downregulates
phosphorylated FOXO and phosphorylated GSK3 β in the treated cells leading to apoptosis. Therefore, it can be envisaged
that mushroom-derived bioactive molecules will hold great promise in cancer treatment in the future.