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There have been relatively few direct intervention trials of mushroom consumption in humans, although those that have been completed to date indicate that mushrooms and their extracts are generally well-tolerated with few, if any, side-effects. Immunomodulating and anti-tumor effects of mushrooms and their extracts appear to hold potential health benefits. These benefits are primarily due to their polysaccharide content, either in the form of beta-glucans or polysaccharide-protein complexes, which appear to exert their anti-tumorigenic effects by enhancement of cellular immunity via effects on the balance of T helper cell populations and induction of certain interleukins and interferon (IFN)-γ. This review summarizes the current knowledge on edible mushrooms and their components on health outcomes, with a focus on the evaluation of the evidence from human trials. Where information is available from such trials, the active compounds are identified and their proposed mechanisms are discussed.

Agaritine is a naturally occurring phenylhydrazine derivative present in wild and cultivated Agaricus mushroom species, including the cultivated mushroom Agaricus bisporus. Agaritine has been described in some studies as a potential carcinogen, however, the scientific validity of the experimental designs and models from which this conclusion has been drawn have been contradicted and challenged by other studies. Feeding studies using mushrooms and mushroom extracts have in general provided no evidence of toxicological effects of agaritine or mushroom consumption, in contrast to results of studies which have administered non-physiologically relevant concentrations of chemically synthesized hydrazine derivatives to mice. The available evidence to date suggests that agaritine from consumption of cultivated A. bisporus mushrooms poses no known toxicological risk to healthy humans.

The objective of this study was to measure the effects on serum lipids and plasma phytosterols of 6.6 g/day phytosterols from three foods (bread, breakfast cereal, and spread) consumed for 12 weeks compared with a diet that was not enriched with phytosterols. Thirty-five subjects undertook a nonrandomized, single-blind study consisting of a 2 week baseline period, 6 weeks on high-phytosterol intake, 6 weeks on high-phytosterol intake plus increased fruit and vegetable intake, and a final 2 week washout period. Serum total cholesterol decreased by 8.3% from 6.59 to 6.04 mmol/l, and LDL cholesterol decreased by 12.6% from 4.44 to 3.88 mmol/l. Plasma phytosterol levels increased by 45% (sitosterol) and 105% (campesterol). Cholesterol-adjusted plasma α- and β-carotene levels decreased by 19–23%, lutein by 14%, and lycopene by 11%. Levels of α-carotene and lutein increased with extra fruit and vegetables. Only lycopene failed to increase during the washout phase. There were no significant changes in biochemical parameters.Serum LDL cholesterol lowering with 6.6 g/day ingested phytosterols was in the range seen with 1.6–3.2 g/day phytosterols. Lowering of plasma carotenoids was greater than that seen with lower phytosterol intake and was partially reversed by increased fruit and vegetable intake.

We have conducted a dietary trial in 54 men and 51 women with a wide range of fasting cholesterol values to examine the use of low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size to predict the lipoprotein response to dietary fat and cholesterol. After a 2-week low fat period, subjects were given two liquid supplements in addition to their low fat diet for 3 weeks each, one containing 31–40 g of fat and 650–845 mg of cholesterol, the other fat free. LDL particle type was determined by 3–15% gradient gel electrophoresis. On multiple regression, LDL type was independently related to plasma triglyceride (P < 0.001), waist circumference (P < 0.01), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) (P < 0.001) accounting for 56% of the variance in LDL type in the whole group. Change in LDL cholesterol with dietary fat and cholesterol was unrelated to LDL particle size in either men or women. However, change in HDL cholesterol in men was strongly related to LDL particle type (r = –0.52, P = 0.001) and change in HDL2 cholesterol in women was related to LDL particle type (r = –0.40, P < 0.01). In conclusion, we are unable to confirm the finding that LDL particle type can predict changes in LDL cholesterol following changes in dietary fat intake. However, LDL particle type can independently predict changes in HDL cholesterol in men and accounts for 27% of the variance.—Clifton, P. M., M. Noakes, and P. J. Nestel. LDL particle size and LDL and HDL cholesterol changes with dietary fat and cholesterol in healthy subjects.

Objective: An Rh-negative woman with preexisting anti-D antibodies may affect some or all subsequent fetuses, depending on the genotype of her Rh-positive partner. Currently, a reliable technique for an absolute determination of RhD genotype is not available. This study was initiated to develop an accurate method for RhD genotyping in men., Study Design: RhD genotype was determined by deoxyribonucleic acid amplification of a D-specific sequence in single sperm cell samples. Micromanipulation techniques were used for sampling of single sperm cells, which were further amplified by multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction at the RhD locus. A RhD sequence amplification product was expected in all of the successfully amplified samples from Rh-positive homozygotes, in some of the samples from heterozygotes, and in none of the samples form Rh-negative subjects., Results: RhD genotype was accurately determined in 10 of 10 donors. A total of 132 single sperm cells were analyzed (8 to 17 samples per donor), of which 96 were successfully amplified as assessed by an internal control. As expected, the specific region of the RhD gene was amplified in all, some, and none of the signal-positive sperm samples from Rh-positive homozygotes, heterozygotes, and Rh-negative subjects, respectively, allowing accurate determination of the genotype., Conclusion: An accurate diagnosis of the RhD genotype can be attained from single sperm cell analysis by means of polymerase chain reaction and may have major clinical applications in the management of Rh isoimmunization.

Bone marrow examination of a patient with a myeloproliferative disorder revealed monosomy for chromosome No. 6 (45,XX,-6). Two months later, during blastic crisis, reinvestigation of the bone marrow showed the presence of the Ph-1 chromosome in the previously aneuploid cell line (45,XX,-6,-22,+Ph-1). This case differs from those previously published in that the Ph-1 chromosome appeared de novo during the development of frank acute myelogenous leukemia.