Cancer is responsible for lifelong disability and decreased quality of life.
Cancer-associated changes in metabolism, in particular
carbohydrate,
lipid, and
protein, offer a new paradigm of metabolic hits. Hence, targeting the latter, as well as related cross-linked signalling pathways, can reverse the malignant phenotype of transformed cells. The systemic toxicity and pharmacokinetic limitations of existing drugs prompt the discovery of multi-targeted and safe compounds from natural products. Mushrooms possess
biological activities relevant to disease-fighting and to the prevention of
cancer. They have a long-standing tradition of use in
ethnomedicine and have been included as an adjunct
therapy during and after oncological care. Mushroom-derived compounds have also been reported to target the key signature of
cancer cells in in vitro and in vivo studies. The identification of metabolic pathways whose inhibition selectively affects
cancer cells appears as an interesting approach to halting cell proliferation. For instance,
panepoxydone exerted protective mechanisms against
breast cancer initiation and progression by suppressing
lactate dehydrogenase A expression levels and reinducing
lactate dehydrogenase B expression levels. This further led to the accumulation of
pyruvate, the activation of the electron transport chain, and increased levels of
reactive oxygen species, which eventually triggered mitochondrial apoptosis in the
breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the inhibition of
hexokinase 2 by
neoalbaconol induced selective cytotoxicity against
nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines, and these effects were also observed in mouse models. Finally, GL22 inhibited hepatic tumour growth by downregulating the
mRNA levels of
fatty acid-binding proteins and blocking
fatty acid transport and impairing
cardiolipin biosynthesis. The present review, therefore, will highlight how the metabolites isolated from mushrooms can target potential
biomarkers in metabolic reprogramming.