Partially Purified Polysaccharides from Lentinus edodes (Mushroom) Scavenge Free Radicals and Induce Apoptosis in MCF-7 Cancer Cells by Regulating Apoptotic Genes

Background: Therapeutic products obtained from nature have been gaining attention for health improvement, disease treatment, and drug development. Traditional therapeutic compounds from plants, animals, and microorganisms and their bioactive constituents have led to the development of therapeutics for various diseases, including cancer. Mushrooms are widely consumed products because of their nutritional and therapeutic potential. Materials and Methods: This study aimed to extract partially purified polysaccharides from Lentinus edodes (PLE) to a study to identify bioactive compounds by GC-MS and HPLC. Furthermore, we examined PLE to identify its antioxidant potential and effect on breast cancer cells (MCF-7 cell lines). Results: GC-MS revealed the presence of 45 bioactive components from PLE, and HPLC analysis showed the presence of β-glucan. Furthermore, PLE showed potential antioxidant activity, which was confirmed by significant free radical (DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS) scavenging and total antioxidant activity analysis. In addition, PLE showed noteworthy anticancer activity, substantiated by decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (100, 200, 300, and 400μg/ mL) manner. On the other hand, RT-PCR analysis revealed that PLE potentially up-regulated caspase-3, toll-like receptor 4, and Bcl-2-associated X protein and concurrently down-regulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), which confirmed that PLE can induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells. Conclusion: Hence, this study revealed that PLE can induce apoptosis in cancer cells and fight against breast cancer through its antioxidant potential. These results recommend that PLE might be considered a nutraceutical for managing breast cancer.