Anti-Aromatase Activity of Phytochemicals in White Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)

Abstract

White button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporous) are a potential breast cancer chemopreventive agent, as they suppress aromatase activity and estrogen biosynthesis. Therefore, we evaluated the activity of mushroom extracts in the estrogen receptor-positive/aromatase-positive MCF-7aro cell line in vitro and in vivo. Mushroom extract decreased testosterone-induced cell proliferation in MCF-7aro cells but had no effect on MCF-10A, a nontumorigenic cell line. Most potent mushroom chemicals are soluble in ethyl acetate. The major active compounds found in the ethyl acetate fraction are unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and conjugated linoleic acid. The interaction of linoleic acid and conjugated linoleic acid with aromatase mutants expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells showed that these fatty acids inhibit aromatase with similar potency and that mutations at the active site regions affect its interaction with these two fatty acids. Whereas these results suggest that these two compounds bind to the active site of aromatase, the inhibition kinetic analysis indicates that they are noncompetitive inhibitors with respect to androstenedione. Because only conjugated linoleic acid was found to inhibit the testosteronedependent proliferation of MCF-7aro cells, the physiologically relevant aromatase inhibitors in mushrooms are most likely conjugated linoleic acid and its derivatives. The in vivo action of mushroom chemicals was shown using nude mice injected with MCF-7aro cells. The studies showed that mushroom extract decreased both tumor cell proliferation and tumor weight with no effect on rate of apoptosis. Therefore, our studies illustrate the anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo of mushroom extract and its major fatty acid constituents.

Pathogenic variation in isolates of Pseudomonas causing the brown blotch of cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus

“…A. bisporus contains antioxidants (26), conjugated linoleic acid (5) and high amounts of vitamins D and B (14). A very recent study found that women consumed fresh mushrooms daily, were 64% less likely to develop breast cancer and risk was reduced by 90% (32).…”

Chemical profile, agaritine and selenium content of Agaricus bisporus

“…Estrogen responsible for the development of breast cancer. The women who consumed more than 10g of fresh A. bisporus daily, were 64% less likely to develop breast cancer, while those that combined a mushroom diet with regular green tea, reduced the risk of breast cancer by nearly 90% (Chen et al 2006;Hong et al 2008). A. bisporus contains small amounts of the carcinogenic mycotoxin agaritine, which is a health hazard.…”

Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women

“…3 Mushrooms and mushroom extracts have been shown to possess anticarcinogenic properties, antimutagenic activity and to stimulate immune responsiveness in experimental models, both in vitro and in vivo. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Laboratory studies have demonstrated that mushrooms inhibited aromatase activity in breast cancer cell line and suppressed growth and invasiveness of metastatic breast cancers. 9,10 Despite the demonstration of the anticarcinogenic effect of mushrooms by many experimental studies, little relevant epidemiologic evidence is available from human populations.…”