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Article

Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells

  • Authors:
    • Takamitsu Shimizu
    • Junya Kawai
    • Kenji Ouchi
    • Haruhisa Kikuchi
    • Yoshiteru Osima
    • Rikiishi Hidemi
  • View Affiliations / Copyright

    Affiliations: Mushroom Research Laboratory, Hokuto Corporation, Nagano 381-0008, Japan, Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sendai 980-8578, Japan, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
  • Pages: 1670-1678
    |
    Published online on: February 15, 2016
       https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3391
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Abstract

Agaricus blazei (A. blazei) is a mushroom with many biological effects and active ingredients. We purified a tumoricidal substance from A. blazei, an ergosterol derivative, and named it ‘Agarol’. Cytotoxic effects of Agarol were determined by the MTT assay using A549, MKN45, HSC-3, and HSC-4 human carcinoma cell lines treated with Agarol. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry analysis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and mitochondria membrane potential (∆ψm) were also determined by flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to quantify the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Agarol predominantly induced apoptosis in two p53-wild cell lines (A549 and MKN45) compared to the other p53-mutant cell lines (HSC-3 and HSC-4). Further mechanistic studies revealed that induction of apoptosis is associated with increased generation of ROS, reduced ∆ψm, release of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from the mitochondria to the cytosol, upregulation of Bax, and downregulation of Bcl-2. Caspase-3 activities did not increase, and z-VAD-fmk, a caspase inhibitor, did not inhibit the Agarol-induced apoptosis. These findings indicate that Agarol induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human carcinoma cells through a mitochondrial pathway. The in vivo anticancer activity of Agarol was confirmed in a xenograft murine model. This study suggests a molecular mechanism by which Agarol induces apoptosis in human carcinoma cells and indicates the potential use of Agarol as an anticancer agent.
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Copy and paste a formatted citation
Spandidos Publications style
Shimizu T, Kawai J, Ouchi K, Kikuchi H, Osima Y and Hidemi R: Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells. Int J Oncol 48: 1670-1678, 2016.
APA
Shimizu, T., Kawai, J., Ouchi, K., Kikuchi, H., Osima, Y., & Hidemi, R. (2016). Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells. International Journal of Oncology, 48, 1670-1678. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3391
MLA
Shimizu, T., Kawai, J., Ouchi, K., Kikuchi, H., Osima, Y., Hidemi, R."Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 48.4 (2016): 1670-1678.
Chicago
Shimizu, T., Kawai, J., Ouchi, K., Kikuchi, H., Osima, Y., Hidemi, R."Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 48, no. 4 (2016): 1670-1678. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3391
Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Shimizu T, Kawai J, Ouchi K, Kikuchi H, Osima Y and Hidemi R: Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells. Int J Oncol 48: 1670-1678, 2016.
APA
Shimizu, T., Kawai, J., Ouchi, K., Kikuchi, H., Osima, Y., & Hidemi, R. (2016). Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells. International Journal of Oncology, 48, 1670-1678. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3391
MLA
Shimizu, T., Kawai, J., Ouchi, K., Kikuchi, H., Osima, Y., Hidemi, R."Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 48.4 (2016): 1670-1678.
Chicago
Shimizu, T., Kawai, J., Ouchi, K., Kikuchi, H., Osima, Y., Hidemi, R."Agarol, an ergosterol derivative from Agaricus blazei, induces caspase-independent apoptosis in human cancer cells". International Journal of Oncology 48, no. 4 (2016): 1670-1678. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2016.3391
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