Inhibitory effects of Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoid on the growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Zhuyuan Ding; Ziyi Zhou; Xinge Cheng; Houli Wang; Jiayi Liu; Yeyu Cai; Huan Liu; Min Lv; Yuning Pan; Enhua Xiao

Inhibitory effects of Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoid on the growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Am J Transl Res. 2023 May 15;15(5):3410-3423. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhuyuan Ding¹, Ziyi Zhou², Xinge Cheng¹, Houli Wang¹, Jiayi Liu³, Yeyu Cai³, Huan Liu³, Min Lv³, Yuning Pan¹, Enhua Xiao³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Imaging, Ningbo First Hospital Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang, China.
² Department of Radiology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China.
³ Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University Changsha 410011, Hu'nan, China.

PMID: 37303681
PMCID: PMC10251039

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effects and mechanisms of triterpenoids from Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum triterpenoids) on the growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) both in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: In in-vitro experiments, the inhibitory effects of G. lucidum triterpenoids on human HCC SMMC-7721 cell lines were investigated by observing the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion phenotypes of the cell line and assessing the cell cycles as well as the cell apoptosis and proliferation. In in-vivo experiments, nude mouse SMMC-7721 tumor models were established and divided into control group, treatment group A (low concentration group) and treatment group B (high concentration group) according to the treatment models received. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed 3 times on each mouse model to calculate their tumor volumes. The liver and kidney functions of the models were evaluated. Tissues harvested from their solid organs were subjected to HE staining, and the tumor tissues were subjected to HE staining and immunohistochemical staining (E-cad, Ki-67, and Tunel), respectively.

Results: i. In in-vitro experiments, G. lucidum triterpenoids could inhibit the growth of human HCC SMMC-7721 cell lines via regulating their proliferation and apoptosis phenotype. ii. In in-vivo experiments, the comparison of tumor volumes of mouse models obtained from the second and third MIR scanning was found to be statistically significant between the control group and treatment group A (P<0.05); and statistically significant differences were also found in the tumor volumes from the second and third MRI scanning between the control group and treatment group B (P<0.05). iii. No significant acute injuries or adverse effects were observed in the liver or kidney of the nude mice.

Conclusion: G. lucidum triterpenoids could inhibit the growth of tumor cells via blocking their proliferation, accelerating apoptosis, and inhibiting migration and invasion, without marked toxic effects on normal organs and tissues in the body.

Keywords: G. lucidum triterpenoids; Hepatocellular carcinoma; MRI; nude mouse model; pathology.