2023-07-18 19:04:53
HomeWorld
Mushrooms can cause cancer. But some species can stop it on their own. What does this mean for human treatment?
Wageningen – A research team from Wageningen University has discovered that some species of fungi are able to prevent cell mutations that would resemble cancer on their own, the magazine says Newsweek had previously reported. The process is described in a study published by the scientists in the journal Microbology and Molecular Biology Reviews. Does this have an impact on the treatment of cancer patients?
Wageningen University1876Arthur PJ MolWageningen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
According to the research team, fungi are made up of a network of filaments, a thread-like structure called a mycelium. In the cells of this structure there would normally be single nuclei with half a set of chromosomes, called “haploid”. According to the researchers, they could be compared to a human sperm or an egg cell.
Study proves: Equating nuclear mutations in fungi with human cancer
Unlike humans, fungi reproduce asexually. To do this, these half-set nuclei in the fungi’s gills fuse together to create a new organism. In the study, the scientists at Wageningen University describe that mutations could occur in these nuclei that could be equated with cancer in humans and plants: They deprive their host for their own uncontrolled growth. Only last the WHO warned that many foods contain carcinogenic substances.
According to researchers, some types of fungi should help prevent cell mutation. So they could help in the treatment of cancer. (Iconic image) © Spectra/Imago
No cell mutations thanks to the protective organism: fungi can prevent their own cancer
This mutation would prevent the mycelial filaments from fusing, thus stopping the fungus’ ability to produce spores and reproduce asexually. “Mutations can occur in fungal mycelia that give the nucleus in the mycelium a competitive advantage,” explains Duur Aanen, co-author of the study and researcher at Wageningen University. “Because these mutations are selected within the mycelium but affect the fitness of the mycelium as a whole, they can be viewed as a kind of ‘nuclear cancer’.”
However, some types of fungi are able to prevent precisely this form of mutation using their own mechanism, namely in the form of a special variant of cell division: clamp joints. Each individual nucleus would be kept in a separate compartment to check their genetic quality before the fusion can take place. This would allow some species of fungi to protect themselves and live extremely long lives.
“Clamp connection acts as a test device”: fungal species protect themselves against cancer with a mechanism
“The clamp connection acts as a test device for the quality of the cell nucleus, with both nuclei continuously testing each other’s ability to fuse, a test that nuclei with mutations in fusion genes fail,” explains Aanen. “We therefore argue that mycelia have a constant and low risk of developing nuclear cancer, regardless of their size and lifespan.” According to one study in humans, the risk of cancer also depends, among other things, on body shape.
Over the course of its lifetime, an organism would typically experience more and more mutations that would harm it. This leads to the assumption that an organism that lives longer is more likely to be affected by cancer. However, there are very small differences in lifetime cancer risk between animal species, a finding known as the Peto paradox. Animals like elephants and whales, however, would contradict this logic, having developed methods to self-reduce their risk of cancer and to control DNA mutations.
Cancer research: fungal active substance cordycepin kills tumor cells
The findings on the mechanism by which fungi protect themselves against mutations should also have an impact on research into human cancer patients. Certain types of fungi are already being used in cancer therapy, such as the NDR had previously reported.
Some types of mushrooms can prevent cancer cells on their own. (Iconic image) © IMAGO/kirill vasilev
Therefore, scientists would try to specifically isolate the active ingredients of the fungi in order to be able to use them specifically against tumors. The mushrooms Reishi, Fu Ling and Cordyceps sinensis would play a special role. The active substance cordycepin obtained from this can already kill tumor cells in the test tube. The active ingredient works particularly well in leukemia, breast cancer and prostate cancer. So far it is unclear whether the active ingredients would be suitable for treatment in humans.
Consumer advice center warns against cancer treatment with mushrooms
So far, however, cancer treatment with mushrooms has not replaced conventional therapy, as the consumer advice center warns: “Self-therapy with mushroom extracts is not recommended, especially if you are taking medication or undergoing chemotherapy. Desired effects can turn into the opposite. Under no circumstances should you delay or even refrain from necessary conventional medical treatments because of the fungal therapy,” says the website of the consumer advice center.
1689717544
#types #fungi #prevent #cell #mutations