Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide-protein HEG-5 inhibits SGC-7901 cell growth via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis

Int J Biol Macromol. 2015 May:76:242-53. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.01.060. Epub 2015 Feb 20.

Abstract

HEG-5 is a novel polysaccharide-protein purified from the fermented mycelia of Hericium erinaceus CZ-2. The present study aims to investigate the effects of HEG-5 on proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells SGC-7901. Here, we first uncover that HEG-5 significantly inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of SGC-7901 cells by promoting apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at S phase. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis suggested that HEG-5 could decrease the expressions of Bcl2, PI3K and AKT1, while increase the expressions of Caspase-8, Caspase-3, p53, CDK4, Bax and Bad. These findings indicated that the Caspase-8/-3-dependent, p53-dependent mitochondrial-mediated and PI3k/Akt signaling pathways involved in the molecular events of HEG-5 induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Thus, our study provides in vitro evidence that HEG-5 may be taken as a potential candidate for treating gastric cancer.

Keywords: Anti-tumor activity; Apoptosis; Cell cycle; Hericium erinaceus; Polysaccharide-protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Basidiomycota / metabolism*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Complex Mixtures / chemistry*
  • Complex Mixtures / pharmacology*
  • Fungal Polysaccharides / chemistry*
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans

Substances

  • Complex Mixtures
  • Fungal Polysaccharides
  • Fungal Proteins