Study of nutritional, antioxidant, anti-proliferative and programmed cell death induction properties of wild mushrooms

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Potencial antitumoral de cogumelos silvestres do Nordeste Transmontano

Publication . Reis, Filipa S.; Sousa, Diana; Barros, Lillian; Martins, Anabela; Morales, Patricia; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Vasconcelos, M. Helena

Os cogumelos são muito apreciados pelo seu valor nutricional [1] assim como pelo seu potencial medicinal [2,3]. Neste trabalho procedeu-se à caracterização química de uma espécie do Nordeste transmontano, avaliando igualmente o seu potencial antitumoral numa linha celular de cancro de mama (MCF-7). Analisar o perfil químico de uma espécie pouco estudada - Leccinum vulpinum Watling, relativamente ao seu conteúdo em compostos bioativos. O seu potencial antitumoral numa linha celular humana de cancro de mama foi também avaliado.

2016Conference object

Open access

Leccinum molle (Bon) Bon and Leccinum vulpinum Watling: the first study of their nutritional and antioxidant potential

Publication . Reis, Filipa S.; Barros, Lillian; Martins, Anabela; Vasconcelos, M. Helena; Morales, Patricia; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.

This work presents the chemical profile of two edible species of mushrooms from the genus Leccinum: Leccinum molle (Bon) Bon and Leccinum vulpinum Watling, both harvested on the outskirts of Bragança (Northeastern Portugal). Both species were prepared and characterized regarding their content in nutrients (i.e., free sugars, fatty acids and vitamins), non-nutrients (i.e., phenolic and other organic acids) and antioxidant activity. To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies on the chemical characterization and bioactivity of these species have been undertaken. Accordingly, this study intends to increase the available information concerning edible mushroom species, as well as to highlight another important factor regarding the conservation of the mycological resources--their potential as sources of nutraceutical/pharmaceutical compounds. Overall, both species revealed similar nutrient profiles, with low fat levels, fructose, mannitol and trehalose as the foremost free sugars, and high percentages of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They also revealed the presence of bioactive compounds, namely phenolic (e.g., gallic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) and organic acids (e.g., citric and fumaric acids) and presented antioxidant properties.

2016Journal article

Open access

Leccinum vulpinum Watling: nutritional, antioxidant and antitumour potential

Publication . Reis, Filomena; Sousa, Diana; Barros, Lillian; Martins, Anabela; Morales, Patricia; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Vasconcelos, M. Helena

The global economic value of mushrooms is significant, not only due to their value as food [1] but also their medicinal properties, some of them having particularly been described to have antioxidant and antitumour potential [2,3]. Furthermore, some mushroom extracts have reached clinical trials. Additionally, in Japan, PSK (a polysaccharide conjugate isolated from Trametes versicolor (L.) Lloyd), is prescribed as an adjunct to conventional cancer therapies and surgical treatments of colorectal and gastric cancers [4]. The aim of this work was to study the chemical profile of Leccinum vulpinum Watling, regarding its content in nutrients and non-nutrients. Moreover, to study the in vitro antioxidant and antitumour potential of its phenolic extract. L. vulpinum wild samples were collected in Bragança, in the northeastern region of Portugal. The nutritional value was assessed following standard procedures. The individual profiles in soluble sugars, fatty acids and micronutrients were obtained through chromatographic techniques. The antioxidant potential of the phenolic extract was evaluated through the reducing power, DPPH radical-scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. To assess the antitumour potential, the extract was screened against a panel of human tumour cell lines (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HCT-15 and AGS). Studies of effect on cell proliferation, cell cycle profile and apoptosis were performed on MCF-7 cells. The effect on DNA damage was evaluated with the Comet assay. L. vulpinum showed a nutritional profile with low fat levels, fructose, mannitol and trehalose as the foremost free sugars, and high percentage of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The main isoforms of vitamin E detected were the β- and γ-tocopherol. L. vulpinum also revealed the presence of phenolic acids (e.g., gallic, protocatechuic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids) and other organic acids (e.g., citric acid). The phenolic extract presented reducing capacity, radical-scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition. Regarding the antitumour potential, the extract inhibited the growth of all the tested cell lines. In addition, it decreased cellular proliferation, induced apoptosis and caused DNA damage of MCF-7 cells. The present study highlights the importance of conserving the national mycological resources, as a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antitumour activity.

2016Conference object

Open access

A irradiação como tecnologia pós-colheita viável para conservação de cogumelos, vegetais e plantas aromáticas

Publication . Pinela, José; Reis, Filipa S.; Pereira, Eliana; Fernandes, Ângela; Oliveira, Beatriz; Antonio, Amilcar L.; Cabo Verde, Sandra; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.

A irradiação é um tratamento pós-colheita utilizado para processar produtos destinados à indústria alimentar e farmacêutica. Esta tecnologia é frequentemente combinada com outros processos de conservação, tais como a secagem e o embalamento, para tirar partido de possíveis efeitos sinérgicos. De facto, a elevada perecibilidade de alguns alimentos e matérias-primas torna imprescindível aplicar tratamentos de conservação capazes de aumentar o tempo de vida útil, mas com um impacto mínimo em atributos de qualidade. Este estudo pretendeu avaliar a adequabilidade da irradiação para conservar parâmetros nutricionais de cogumelos, vegetais e plantas aromáticas durante o tempo de vida útil. O cogumelo e as plantas aromáticas foram irradiados com feixe de eletrões a uma dose máxima 10 kGy e analisadas após irradiação e passados 6 e 12 meses ou 12 e 18 meses, respetivamente. Os vegetais frescos foram irradiados numa câmara experimental de 60Co a uma dose máxima de 6 kGy. Estes foram analisados antes de irradiar e após 7 ou 14 dias de armazenamento a 4 °C. O tratamento de irradiação permitiu manter mais eficazmente o perfil nutricional do cogumelos e dos vegetais durante o armazenamento, comparativamente com amostras não irradiadas. Além disso, o tempo de armazenamento teve um maior impacto no perfil nutricional do cogumelo do que a irradiação (com exceção dos ácidos gordos). No caso das plantas aromáticas, apesar de a irradiação ter atenuado perdas de qualidade durante o armazenamento, não foi possível identificar uma tendência geral pois os fatores testados tiveram efeitos dissimilares nas diferentes espécies.

2018Conference object

Open access

Leccinum vulpinum antitumor potential: which cell biological functions may be affected?

Publication . Reis, Filipa S.; Sousa, Diana; Martins, Anabela; Morales, Patricia; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.

Besides being an excellent choice as food for their high nutritional value, mushrooms have been identified as products with bioactive properties, including antitumor potential. Herein, a phenolic extract, obtained from the edible mushroom Leccinum vulpinum Watling, which was rich essentially in hydroxybenzoic acids (i.e., gallic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) was analyzed. The extract was tested against a panel of four different human tumor cell lines (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HCT-15 and AGS), to perform an initial screening of its impact on the growth of these cells. Since the proliferation of all the tumor cell lines was inhibited, and given the evidence of an inverse relationship between mushroom’s consumption and breast cancer risk reduction [1], a detailed study was performed on breast adenocarcinoma cells. Some functional assays were carried out, namely cell proliferation, cell cycle profile and apoptosis. The potential of the extract as an inducer of DNA damage was also evaluated. Overall, the extract decreased the cellular proliferation (cells treated with the GI75 concentration of the extract reduced significantly the percentage of cells in the S-phase) and induced apoptosis (cells treated with the GI50 concentration of the extract increased the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis to 13.4% and cells treated with the GI75 concentration increased that percentage to 27%). The obtained results suggest that the extract also causes cellular DNA damage, since some proteins involved in the repair of DNA damage (PARP), are increased. Through the Comet assay, a significant increase of the percentage of Tail DNA upon treatment with 250 mg/mL of the extract, was also observed.

2016Conference object

Open access