The medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum attenuates UV-induced skin carcinogenesis and immunosuppression

PLoS One. 2022 Mar 21;17(3):e0265615. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265615. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

The medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum is traditionally used for treating multiple diseases, including cancer. This study examined skin cancer preventive activity of a commercial product containing spore and fruiting body in 30:8 ratio (GLSF). Extracts of GLSF and spore component (GLS) were prepared using artificial gastrointestinal juice and examined on JB6 cells. GLSF and GLS dose-dependently inhibited epidermal growth factor-induced JB6 transformation at non-toxic concentrations. SKH-1 mice which were fed with diets containing GLSF (1.25%), GLS (0.99%) or the fruiting body (GLF) (0.26%) were exposed to chronic low-dose ultraviolet (UV) radiation to assess their effects on skin carcinogenesis. GLSF, but not GLS or GLF, reduced skin tumor incidence and multiplicity. In non-tumor skin tissues of mice, GLSF attenuated UV-induced epidermal thickening, expression of Ki-67, COX-2 and NF-κB, while in tumor tissues, GLSF increased expression of CD8 and Granzyme B. To examine the effects of GLSF on UV-induced immunosuppression, mice which were fed with GLSF were evaluated for the contact hypersensitivity (CHS) response to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). GLSF significantly reversed UV-mediated suppression of DNFB-induced CHS by increasing CD8+ and decreasing CD4+ and FoxP3+ T-cells in mouse ears. Therefore, GLSF prevents skin cancer probably via attenuating UV-induced immunosuppression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agaricales*
  • Animals
  • Carcinogenesis
  • Dermatitis, Contact*
  • Dinitrofluorobenzene
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Mice
  • Reishi*
  • Skin / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms* / etiology
  • Skin Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms* / prevention & control
  • Ultraviolet Rays / adverse effects

Substances

  • Dinitrofluorobenzene

Grants and funding

Research reported in the publication was partly supported by Beijing Tong Ren Tang Chinese Medicine Co., Ltd. This work was also supported by Western University of Health Sciences Intramural Student Funds as part of the Graduate Program. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.