Polysaccharide from Ganoderma atrum evokes antitumor activity via Toll-like receptor 4-mediated NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways

J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Apr 17;61(15):3676-82. doi: 10.1021/jf4004225. Epub 2013 Apr 4.

Abstract

Ganoderma atrum has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. In this study, the antitumor activity of a novel G. atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) was investigated in vitro and in vivo using S180 tumor-bearing mice. The results showed that PSG-1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of S180 via the activation of macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. PSG-1-primed macrophages exhibited a higher tumoricidal activity than untreated macrophages. Administration of PSG-1 significantly inhibited the growth of transplantable sarcoma S180-bearing mice and increased macrophage phagocytosis and the levels of cytokines and nitride oxide. Expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in the membrane was markedly increased in PSG-1-treated groups, suggesting that it may be a possible receptor for PSG-1. PSG-1 also promoted the translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB from cytosol to nucleus and the degradation of IκBα. Moreover, the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase in macrophages was improved by PSG-1 in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, it is suggested that PSG-1 may elicit its antitumor effect by improving immune system functions through TLR4-mediated NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Nucleus / drug effects
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Fungal Polysaccharides / administration & dosage
  • Fungal Polysaccharides / therapeutic use*
  • Ganoderma / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects*
  • Macrophages / drug effects*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Phagocytosis / drug effects
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Sarcoma / drug therapy*
  • Sarcoma / immunology
  • Sarcoma / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / biosynthesis*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism
  • Transcription Factor RelA / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Fungal Polysaccharides
  • Rela protein, rat
  • Tlr4 protein, rat
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Transcription Factor RelA