Genoprotective activity of the Pleurotus eryngii mushrooms following their in vitro and in vivo fermentation by fecal microbiota

Abstract

Pleurotus eryngii mushrooms are commercially cultivated and widely consumed due to their organoleptic properties, and the low caloric and high nutritional value. In addition, they contain various biologically active and health-promoting compounds; very recently, their genoprotective effect in Caco-2 cells after their fermentation by the human fecal microbiota was also documented. In the current study, the effect of P. eryngii pre- and post-fermentation supernatants in micronuclei formation was evaluated in human lymphocytes. In addition, the genoprotective properties of increasing concentrations of aqueous extracts from P. eryngii mushrooms (150, 300, 600 mg/kg) against the cyclophosphamide-induced DNA damage were studied in young and elderly female and male mice in bone marrow and whole blood cells. The ability of the highest dose (600 mg/kg) to regulate the main cellular signaling pathways was also evaluated in gut and liver tissues of female animals by quantifying the mRNA expression of NrF2, Nfkβ, DNMT1, and IL-22 genes. P. eryngii post-fermentation, but not pre-fermentation, supernatants were able to protect human lymphocytes from the mitomycin C-induced DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, genoprotection was also observed in bone marrow cells of mice treated by gavage with P. eryngii extract. The effect was observed in all the experimental groups of mice (young and elderly, male and female) and was more potent in young female mice. Overexpression of all genes examined was observed in both tissues, mainly among the elderly animals. In conclusion, P. eryngii mushrooms were shown to maintain genome integrity through protecting cells from genotoxic insults. These beneficial effects can be attributed to their antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, as well as their ability to regulate the cell’s epigenetic mechanisms and maintain cell homeostasis.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Function of a G-Protein α Subunit Gene in the Growth and Development of Pleurotus eryngii

“…King oyster mushroom are commercially grown and widely consumed due to their sensory properties, low calories and high nutritional value [ 32 ]. In recent years, with the publication of genomes for several species of edible mushrooms and improvements in transcriptome sequencing technology, edible mushroom research has shifted to the functional studies of signaling pathways and related regulatory genes.…”

Unlocking the Power: New Insights into the Anti-Aging Properties of Mushrooms

“…Interestingly, improved immune response was observed in treatment of gut microbial fermentation supernatants from each individual, characterized by altered gene expression and levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the macrophages, and further verified using peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the volunteers [ 179 ]. Boulaka et al [ 180 ] also assessed the immunomodulatory property of P. eryngii through in vitro fermentation using fecal sample collected from both male and female elderly subjects. While not observed in pre-fermentation supernatant treatment, post-fermentation supernatant exhibited protective effects against mitomycin C-induced DNA damage for human lymphocytes in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting its significant role in maintaining genome integrity via metabolites-gut microbiome-host interaction during aging, which attributes to immunomodulatory and anti-oxidant activities [ 180 ].…”

“…Boulaka et al [ 180 ] also assessed the immunomodulatory property of P. eryngii through in vitro fermentation using fecal sample collected from both male and female elderly subjects. While not observed in pre-fermentation supernatant treatment, post-fermentation supernatant exhibited protective effects against mitomycin C-induced DNA damage for human lymphocytes in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting its significant role in maintaining genome integrity via metabolites-gut microbiome-host interaction during aging, which attributes to immunomodulatory and anti-oxidant activities [ 180 ].…”

“…For example, polysaccharides from Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in aging mice, which may help protect against DNA damage [ 242 ]. As mentioned earlier in Section 4.3 , gut microbial fermentation product of P. eryngii (king oyster mushroom), which carries higher bioactivity than pre-fermentated original substrate, also exerts genoprotective effect via the metabolites-gut microbiome-host pathway, illustrated by its ability to protect cyclophosphamide-induced DNA damage in bone marrow and whole blood cells in young and elderly female and male mice [ 180 ]. Furthermore, mushrooms contain bioactive compounds such as ergothioneine, which has been shown to have potent anti-oxidant properties that protect DNA from oxidative damage [ 243 ].…”