Apoptosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Induced by Nanoencapsulated Polysaccharides Extracted from Antrodia Camphorata

PLoS One. 2015 Sep 1;10(9):e0136782. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136782. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Antrodia camphorata is a well-known medicinal mushroom in Taiwan and has been studied for decades, especially with focus on anti-cancer activity. Polysaccharides are the major bioactive compounds reported with anti-cancer activity, but the debates on how they target cells still remain. Research addressing the encapsulation of polysaccharides from A. camphorata extract (ACE) to enhance anti-cancer activity is rare. In this study, ACE polysaccharides were nano-encapsulated in chitosan-silica and silica (expressed as ACE/CS and ACE/S, respectively) to evaluate the apoptosis effect on a hepatoma cell line (Hep G2). The results showed that ACE polysaccharides, ACE/CS and ACE/S all could damage the Hep G2 cell membrane and cause cell death, especially in the ACE/CS group. In apoptosis assays, DNA fragmentation and sub-G1 phase populations were increased, and the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased significantly after treatments. ACE/CS and ACE/S could also increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, induce Fas/APO-1 (apoptosis antigen 1) expression and elevate the proteolytic activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 in Hep G2 cells. Unsurprisingly, ACE/CS induced a similar apoptosis mechanism at a lower dosage (ACE polysaccharides = 13.2 μg/mL) than those of ACE/S (ACE polysaccharides = 21.2 μg/mL) and ACE polysaccharides (25 μg/mL). Therefore, the encapsulation of ACE polysaccharides by chitosan-silica nanoparticles may provide a viable approach for enhancing anti-tumor efficacy in liver cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agaricales / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antrodia / chemistry*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Biological Factors / chemistry
  • Biological Factors / pharmacology*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chitosan / chemistry
  • DNA Fragmentation / drug effects
  • G1 Phase / drug effects
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / drug effects
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Taiwan
  • fas Receptor / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biological Factors
  • FAS protein, human
  • Polysaccharides
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • fas Receptor
  • Chitosan
  • Caspases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Science Council Taiwan, which was renamed to the Ministry of Science and technology since 2014. Grant numbers were NSC 97-2313-B-019-006-MY3 (for Z. L. Kong) and NSC 97-2221-E-019-001 (for K. L. B. Chang). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.