Antioxidant properties of A. ponderosa cultures and antiproliferative effect against MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells

Abstract

Mushrooms are appreciated, not only for texture and flavor but also for their chemical and nutritional properties. They have been reported as therapeutic foods that are useful in preventing diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and cancer. In fact, mushrooms have become attractive as functional foods and as a source of bioactive compounds because they are rich sources of antioxidant compounds such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids and polysaccharides [1, 2]. The medicinal property for which mushrooms of several species have been most extensively investigated and reported is their antitumor activity. A. ponderosa are a wild edible mushrooms, that grows in Mediterranean forests in mounted areas of holm oaks and cork trees, namely in Alentejo region (Southern Portugal) and Andalusia (Southern Spain). There are few studies with respect to this species, however in this work was possible to obtain A. ponderosa pure cultures from strains collected in different areas of Alentejo [3]. Thus, the present work aims to evaluate antioxidant activity of A. ponderosa mushrooms and cultures from isolated mycelia and characterize the anti-tumoral activity of cultures, in a human breast cancer cell in vitro model (MDA-MB231). For the screening of mushroom antioxidant properties, we evaluated DPPH radical scavenging activity, and lipidic peroxidation using the β-carotene linoleate model system. Additionally, these mushrooms revealed capacity to mimetize catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymatic activity. Cultures (mycelia and supernatants) present a strong anti-proliferative capacity, in terms of decreasing the percentage of viable MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells.