Abstract
Bioactive compounds derived from natural products demonstrate a wide range of beneficial properties in cancer treatment. One popular approach to inhibiting cancer cell growth is by stimulating apoptosis. Interestingly, our research has discovered that traditional mushroom and isolated compounds from traditional herbs can induce apoptosis in A549 cells while inhibiting tyrosine kinase activities. We have identified two extracts from traditional mushrooms, Phallus indusiatus and Fomes rimosus (Berk.) Cooke, which exhibit promising abilities to activate apoptotic events in cells. Additionally, isolated compounds such as Chamuangone, Cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabidiol (CBD), and NP1-cyclic peptide have also demonstrated significant apoptotic activation capabilities. To further our understanding, we analyzed phosphoprotein changes in A549 cells exposed to these extracts and compounds, both with and without epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation. Our positive controls were two known drugs, Afatinib and Osimertinib, which are tyrosine kinase inhibitors with apoptotic stimulation abilities. In order to enrich our understanding of the kinase pathway, we conducted phosphoprotein enrichment analysis and identified altered phosphoproteins using LC-MS/MS. Across these testing conditions, we found that 1228 phosphoproteins were altered, providing valuable insights into the biochemical mechanisms underlying cell apoptosis in A549 cells through post-translational modifications of proteins. Furthermore, our findings not only shed light on the mechanisms of cell apoptosis in A549 cells but also offer promising avenues for future research and therapeutic development.