Antrodia camphorata induces G(1) cell-cycle arrest in human premyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells and suppresses tumor growth in athymic nude mice

Food Funct. 2014 Sep;5(9):2278-88. doi: 10.1039/c4fo00423j.

Abstract

Antrodia camphorata is a well-known medicinal mushroom in Taiwan. The broth from a fermented culture of Antrodia camphorata (AC) has been shown to induce apoptosis in cultured human premyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of AC on cell cycle arrest in vitro in HL-60 cells and on tumor regression in vivo using an athymic nude mouse model. We found that AC (20-80 μg mL(-1)) treatment significantly induced G1 cell-cycle arrest in HL-60 cells by reducing the levels of cyclin D1, CDK4, cyclin E, CDK2, cyclin A, and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (p-Rb). Moreover, AC treatment led to significantly increased protein expression levels of CDK inhibitors, including p21(WAF1) and p15(NIK4B). Additionally, AC treatment markedly induced intracellular ROS generation and mitochondrial dysfunction in HL-60 cells. Furthermore, the in vivo study results revealed that AC treatment was effective in terms of delaying the tumor incidence in nude mice that had been inoculated with HL-60 cells as well as in reducing the tumor burden. Histological analysis confirmed that AC treatment significantly modulated the xenografted tumor progression as demonstrated by a reduction in mitotic cells. Our data strongly suggest that Antrodia camphorata could be an anti-cancer agent for human leukemia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antrodia / chemistry*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Cyclin D / genetics
  • Cyclin D / metabolism
  • Cyclin E / genetics
  • Cyclin E / metabolism
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / metabolism
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / metabolism
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects*
  • HL-60 Cells
  • Humans
  • Leukemia / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia / genetics
  • Leukemia / metabolism
  • Leukemia / physiopathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Cdkn1a protein, mouse
  • Cyclin D
  • Cyclin E
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
  • Plant Extracts
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4