Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) Inhibits the Proliferation of Ovarian Cancer Cells by Suppressing Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) Activation

Nutr Cancer. 2018 Jan;70(1):109-115. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2018.1380203. Epub 2017 Nov 7.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antiproliferative effect of active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), derived from basidiomycete mushroom culture, on ovarian cancer cell lines. An in vitro growth inhibition assay was performed using AHCC in ovarian cancer cell lines. Western blotting was performed to investigate the mechanism of the observed antiproliferative effect of AHCC. We identified that ovarian cancer cell viability was significantly reduced through treatment with AHCC compared to that in the control. AHCC inhibited constitutive signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation in ovarian cancer cell lines. In contrast, treatment with pervanadate, a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, reversed AHCC-induced STAT3 suppression. AHCC treatment induced the expression of SHP-1, a protein tyrosine phosphatase, and suppressed the expression of cyclin D1, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, survivin, and VEGF, which are STAT3-regulated gene products that are associated with cell proliferation or apoptosis. These results suggest that AHCC has an antiproliferative effect on ovarian cancer cell lines, via STAT3 phosphorylation; thus, this compound has the potential to be a complementary and alternative anticancer therapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival
  • Cyclin D1 / metabolism
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Polysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6 / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Survivin / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • BIRC5 protein, human
  • CCND1 protein, human
  • Polysaccharides
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Survivin
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Cyclin D1
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
  • PTPN6 protein, human
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6
  • CASP3 protein, human
  • Caspase 3
  • Active Hexose Correlated Compound