named kynapcin-12, -13, -28, and -24. This last compound has currently been
already synthesized by palladium catalysis with a 12 % overall yield from commercially available 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (Yang et al. 2009). The Japanese
‘‘kurokawa mushroom’’ (Boletus leucomelas) is an edible species, from which a
novel lectin was isolated by Koyama et al. (2002). This lectin inhibited the proliferation of human monoblastic leukemia U937, due to its apoptosis induction.
Interestingly, this is the first mushroom lectin with apoptosis-inducing activity, and
therefore with a potential as anticancer agent. Recently, Hou et al. (2013) reported
that a novel polysaccharide named TMP-A with a molecular weight of
8.89 9 10
4 Da isolated from matsutake (T. matsutake), an edible mushroom used in
traditional Chinese medicine for several thousand years, significantly promote the
lymphocyte and macrophage cells in vitro and originated inhibition of growth of
S180 tumors in vivo. Additionally to these antitumor and immune activities, these
authors demonstrated that this polysaccharide also has antibacterial properties
against Micrococcus lysodeikticus. The antitumor activity from matsutake confirms
a previous report from Ikekawa et al. (1969) who demonstrated that aqueous extracts
of this mushroom, possibly an unknown polysaccharide, from T. matsutake have
antitumor activity against transplanted Sarcoma 180 in Swiss albino mice. Through
submerged fermentation of the ‘‘Bay bolete’’ [Boletus badius (=Xerocomus badius)]
it is possible to produce theanine (c-glutamylethylamide), which is an aminoacid
with antitumor activity and L-theanine has synergistic effect on the antitumor
activities of doxorubicin, anthracyclines, cisplatin, and irinotecan (Li et al. 2008;
Wegiel et al. 2001). A galactomannan which enhanced macrophage activation was
isolated from Morchella esculenta by Duncan et al. (2002). Suillin, a derivative of a
phenolic acid (protocatechuic acid) belonging to the prenylphenol class isolated
from the edible EEM S. placidus, has proven to have an antitumor activity, as a
potent apoptosis inducer in human hepatoma HepG2 cells (Liu et al. 2009). More
recently, Vaz et al. (2012) reported that methanolic extracts of another edible species
of the same genus, Suillus collinitus increased p53 expression and caused cell cycle
arrest and apoptosis in a breast cancer cell line. It is interesting to note that also some
toxic EEMs (Quang et al. 2006), for example Inocybe umbrinella, have also been
reported to produce antitumor activities against breast cancer cells. Zhao et al.
(2009a, b) reported that proliferation of tumor cells including hepatoma HepG2 cells
and breast cancer MCF7 cells were inhibited by a novel lectin extracted from dried
sporomes of this toxic mushroom species. These last findings are particularly
important because breast cancer is one the major health problems in women
worldwide. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading
cause of cancer death in women worldwide, accounting for 23 % (1.38 million) of
the total new cancer cases and 14 % (458,400) of the total cancer deaths in 2008.
About half the breast cancer cases and 60 % of the deaths are estimated to occur in
economically developing countries (Jemal et al. 2011). Edible ectomycorrhizal
species of Thelephora including T. vialis and T. aurantiotincta are commercialized
in great quantities in Southern China, in the Province of Yunnan. Different
p-terphenyl derivatives including thelephatin O and vialinin A have been isolated
from these mushrooms. The first total synthesis of natural, unsymmetrical 2
0 ,3
0 -
174
J. Pérez-Moreno and M. Martínez-Reyes
already synthesized by palladium catalysis with a 12 % overall yield from commercially available 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (Yang et al. 2009). The Japanese
‘‘kurokawa mushroom’’ (Boletus leucomelas) is an edible species, from which a
novel lectin was isolated by Koyama et al. (2002). This lectin inhibited the proliferation of human monoblastic leukemia U937, due to its apoptosis induction.
Interestingly, this is the first mushroom lectin with apoptosis-inducing activity, and
therefore with a potential as anticancer agent. Recently, Hou et al. (2013) reported
that a novel polysaccharide named TMP-A with a molecular weight of
8.89 9 10
4 Da isolated from matsutake (T. matsutake), an edible mushroom used in
traditional Chinese medicine for several thousand years, significantly promote the
lymphocyte and macrophage cells in vitro and originated inhibition of growth of
S180 tumors in vivo. Additionally to these antitumor and immune activities, these
authors demonstrated that this polysaccharide also has antibacterial properties
against Micrococcus lysodeikticus. The antitumor activity from matsutake confirms
a previous report from Ikekawa et al. (1969) who demonstrated that aqueous extracts
of this mushroom, possibly an unknown polysaccharide, from T. matsutake have
antitumor activity against transplanted Sarcoma 180 in Swiss albino mice. Through
submerged fermentation of the ‘‘Bay bolete’’ [Boletus badius (=Xerocomus badius)]
it is possible to produce theanine (c-glutamylethylamide), which is an aminoacid
with antitumor activity and L-theanine has synergistic effect on the antitumor
activities of doxorubicin, anthracyclines, cisplatin, and irinotecan (Li et al. 2008;
Wegiel et al. 2001). A galactomannan which enhanced macrophage activation was
isolated from Morchella esculenta by Duncan et al. (2002). Suillin, a derivative of a
phenolic acid (protocatechuic acid) belonging to the prenylphenol class isolated
from the edible EEM S. placidus, has proven to have an antitumor activity, as a
potent apoptosis inducer in human hepatoma HepG2 cells (Liu et al. 2009). More
recently, Vaz et al. (2012) reported that methanolic extracts of another edible species
of the same genus, Suillus collinitus increased p53 expression and caused cell cycle
arrest and apoptosis in a breast cancer cell line. It is interesting to note that also some
toxic EEMs (Quang et al. 2006), for example Inocybe umbrinella, have also been
reported to produce antitumor activities against breast cancer cells. Zhao et al.
(2009a, b) reported that proliferation of tumor cells including hepatoma HepG2 cells
and breast cancer MCF7 cells were inhibited by a novel lectin extracted from dried
sporomes of this toxic mushroom species. These last findings are particularly
important because breast cancer is one the major health problems in women
worldwide. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading
cause of cancer death in women worldwide, accounting for 23 % (1.38 million) of
the total new cancer cases and 14 % (458,400) of the total cancer deaths in 2008.
About half the breast cancer cases and 60 % of the deaths are estimated to occur in
economically developing countries (Jemal et al. 2011). Edible ectomycorrhizal
species of Thelephora including T. vialis and T. aurantiotincta are commercialized
in great quantities in Southern China, in the Province of Yunnan. Different
p-terphenyl derivatives including thelephatin O and vialinin A have been isolated
from these mushrooms. The first total synthesis of natural, unsymmetrical 2
0 ,3
0 -
174
J. Pérez-Moreno and M. Martínez-Reyes