Molecular Alterations Which Induce Apoptosis To Cancer Cells By A Novel Antitumorigenic Protein From A Mushroom, Tricholoma Matsutake

Abstract

A novel tumoricidal protein from Tricholoma matsutake, induced the morphological changes typical to apoptosis such as nuclear condensation, aneuploidity and DNA fragmentation at concentrations as low as 5-20ng/ml to cancer cells. Molecular alterations related to cell cycle, especially G1/S transition were investigated with a human keratinocyte transformed with oncoproteins, E6 and E7 of human pappiloma virus (HPV) -16. TTM didn’t alter significantly an oncosuppressor p53 level, but induced hyperphosphorylation of pRB. Time-dependent change of G1 cyclins, cdk2 and cdk4 after addition of TTM showed that expression level of cdk inhibitors, INK4 family and p27^Kipl did not altered, while that of p21^Waf1 was downregulated.