Project Funding Details

The proposed study will investigate the anti-cancer effects of a dietary supplement containing whole mushroom compounds of Reishi on Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) progression. IBC is the most lethal and least understood form of locally advanced breast cancer. Its lethality originates from its nature of invading the vascular and lymphatic systems, and absence of a typical tumor mass. Reishi individual compounds have been used in alternative medicine to improve the immune system and to combat cancer cells. However, the effect of whole mushroom Reishi extract as a therapeutic for IBC has not been investigated. Our preliminary data studying a human IBC cell line shows that whole mushroom Reishi extract selectively inhibits IBC cell growth and invasion of the tumor microenvironment. Reishi extract inhibits IBC progression by affecting genes that contribute to cancer cell survival, invasion, metastasis, and tumor progression. Also, Reishi extract decreases the secretion of proteins responsible for tumor invasion. The HYPOTHESIS is that Reishi extract inhibits IBC progression. The RATIONALE is that since IBC is a manifestation of cancer cells inducing the creation of new vasculature to invade, then Reishi extract may prove to be an innovative, targeted therapeutic for IBC. Our long-term OBJECTIVES are to determine the therapeutic efficacy of whole mushroom Reishi extract, and discover the molecular mechanisms by which Reishi affects IBC progression. SPECIFIC AIM 1 will investigate Reishi extract's therapeutic effects on IBC progression in an immunocompromised mouse model using novel imaging techniques, and quantifying the tumor spread upon receiving a dietary supplementation of control or Reishi extract. SPECIFIC AIM 2 will study the molecular targets of whole mushroom Reishi extract on tumor progression using excised tumors from mice treated with control or Reishi extract by investigating differential gene and protein expression of selected molecules. This proposal is UNIQUE in evaluating the role of a dietary supplement in a locally invasive breast cancer. This timely research is RELEVANT to public health because it promises to advance the understanding and detection of therapeutic mechanisms of Reishi extract for this fatal disease and impact patients, those at risk, and survivors of IBC.

This study tested the hypothesis that extracts of the medicinal mushroom Reishi inhibit infammatory breast disease in a mouse model by affecting genes that contribute to cancer cell survival, invasion, metastasis and tumor progression.