Effects of WSG, a polysaccharide from Ganoderma lucidum, on suppressing cell growth and mobility of lung cancer

WSG is a water soluble polysaccharides isolated from Ganoderma lucidum. In this study, we showed that WSG, a glucose-rich polysaccharide with an average molecular mass of approximately 1000 kDa, effectively inhibited cell viability and mobility of lung cancer cells. Functional studies revealed that WSG reduced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in cells upon either EGF or TGFβ stimulation. WSG also inhibited phosphorylation of multiple intracellular signaling molecules such as FAK, AKT and Smad2. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that WSG induced degradation of TGFβ and EGF receptors via proteasome and lysosome, respectively. Moreover, we found that WSG significantly suppressed lung tumor growth, reduced the size of metastatic nodules in the lungs and prolonged the survival of LLC1-bearing mice. Our findings suggested that WSG may have potential as a therapeutic intervention for treatment of lung cancer.