In vitro treatment of triple-negative breast cancer cells with an extract from the Coriolus versicolor mushroom changes macrophage properties related to tumourigenesis

• Published in: Immunologic research Vol. 73; no. 1; p. 14
• Main Authors: Jędrzejewski, Tomasz, Sobocińska, Justyna, Maciejewski, Bartosz, Spisz, Paulina, Walczak-Skierska, Justyna, Pomastowski, Paweł, Wrotek, Sylwia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Allergology; Angiogenesis; Animals; antineoplastic agents; Arginase; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Breast cancer; breast neoplasms; cancer therapy; carcinogenesis; Carcinogenesis - drug effects; Carcinogenesis - immunology; CD163 antigen; CD80 antigen; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cell viability; Coriolus versicolor; Culture Media, Conditioned - pharmacology; Cytokines; Cytokines - metabolism; Enzymatic activity; Female; Humans; Immunology; Immunomodulation; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 6; Internal Medicine; Leukocyte migration; Macrophages; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - immunology; Macrophages - metabolism; Medicine/Public Health; Mice; Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1; mushrooms; neoplasm progression; Nitric-oxide synthase; phenotype; Phenotypes; Polyporaceae; RAW 264.7 Cells; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Transforming growth factor-b; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - immunology; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor Microenvironment - drug effects; Tumor Microenvironment - immunology; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Tumorigenesis; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Macrophage phenotype; Breast cancer; Cytokines; Conditioned medium; Coriolus versicolor
• ISSN: 0257-277X; 1559-0755; 1559-0755
• DOI: 10.1007/s12026-024-09574-6

Macrophages, the most abundant cells that participate in tumour progression, are the subject of a number of anticancer therapy approaches. Our previous results revealed that an extract of the fungus Coriolus versicolor (CV) has anti-cancer and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether CV extract-treated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells can release factors that can reprogram macrophages from pro-tumourigenic to anti-cancer subtypes. RAW 264.7 macrophages were cultured in a conditioned medium (CM) from non-treated 4T1 breast cancer cells (CM-NT) or CV extract-stimulated cells (CM-CV). After treatment, the following macrophage properties were evaluated: cell viability; M1/M2 phenotype (enzyme activities: iNOS and arginase 1; and expression of CD molecules: CD80 and CD163); cytokine concentrations: IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, TGF-β, MCP-1 and VEGF; migration level; and ROS production. The results revealed that, compared with normal cells, TNBC cells stimulated with CV extract create a microenvironment that promotes a decrease in macrophage viability and migration, intracellular ROS production, and pro-angiogenic cytokine production (VEGF and MCP-1). Moreover, CM-CV decreased the expression of M2 macrophage markers (arginase 1 and CD163; IL-10 and TGF-β) but upregulated the expression of M1 cell markers (iNOS and CD80; IL-6 and TNF-α). We concluded that CV extract modifies the tumour microenvironment and changes macrophage polarisation toward functioning as an anti-tumour agent. Therefore, it is promising to use in the treatment of TNBC-associated macrophages.