LAUSR

Numerous studies have reported the vast medicinal values of proteins from mushrooms. The present study aimed to investigate the potential of protein extracts from the sclerotium of Pleurotus tuber-regium (Fr.) Singer for antitumor activities against a breast cancer cell line. Protein from P. tuber-regium sclerotium was fractionated using ammonium sulphate at concentrations of 30%, 60%, and 90% and designated as PS30, PS60, and PS90, respectively. All protein extracts were assessed for cytotoxicity toward breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and normal lung fibroblast cell line MRC-5 in the MTT assay. The ability of the protein extracts to inhibit cellular migration was evaluated using the antimigration assay. The most promising protein extract against MDA-MB-231 cells was PS60, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.75 ± 0.57 μg/mL and a selectivity index of 14.00. Cytotoxicity and antimigration effects on cancer cells were best exhibited by PS60, with absolute migration capability values between 5.4142 ± 0.6916 and 5.6581 ± 0.2015 nm/h. PS60 was shown to exert cytotoxic effects associated with the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in MDA-MB-231 cells at G1/G0 and S phase. In conclusion, PS60 protein of P. tuber-regium sclerotium has good potential to be developed into a novel antitumor drug against breast cancer.