LAUSR

BACKGROUND Active components from natural fungal products have shown promising potential as anti-tumor therapeutic agents. To overcome drawbacks of high molecular weight and low bioavailability of pure polysaccharide, polysaccharide-conjugated selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have arisen great attention in anti-tumor agent's exploration. RESULTS A novel polysaccharide-selenium nanoparticle complex was fabricated, in which SeNPs were decorated by polysaccharide obtained from fermented mycelia broth of Lactarius deliciosus (FLDP). Transmission electron microscope, dynamic light scattering and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the FLDP-SeNPs; while human hepatocarcinoma cell line (HepG2) was used to assess growth inhibition efficacy. The prepared FLDP-SeNPs represented a spherical shape with the smallest size of 32 nm. The FLDP-SeNPs showed favourable dispersibility and stability after decoration, demonstrating a reliable consolidated structure that formed. The results revealed that FLDP-SeNPs had notable growth inhibition effects on HepG2 cells. They significantly reduced the membrane potential of mitochondria, increased the reactive oxygen species generation, enhanced levels of both Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 and led to the nucleus in a wrinkled state. CONCLUSION FLDP-SeNPs could exert a synergetic toxicity reduction and inhibition enhancement effect on HepG2 cells via inducement of early apoptosis, through a mitochondria-mediated cytochrome C-Caspases and ROS-induced DNA damage pathways. These results manifest that FLDP-SeNPs treatment of HepG2 cells induced early apoptosis with synergetic efficacy, making FLDP-SeNPs useful as natural anti-tumor agents. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.