Cancer: Melanoma, colorectal
Action: Inhibits proliferation
Cordyceps sinensis is a parasitic fungus on the larvae of Lepidoptera (particularly Ophiocordyceps sinensis [(Berk.) G.H.Sung, J.M.Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora]) and has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine. Cordycepin is isolated from corydyceps.
Melanoma
It has been reported that the growth of B16-BL6 mouse melanoma (B16-BL6) cells was inhibited by cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), an active ingredient of C. sinensis, and its effect was antagonized by MRS1191, a selective adenosine A3 receptor antagonist. The radioligand binding assay has shown that B16-BL6 cells express adenosine A3 receptors and that cordycepin binds to these receptors. Adenosine A3 receptors are also involved in the action of cordycepin using MRS1523 and MRS1220, specific adenosine A3 receptor antagonists.
Indirubin, a glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) inhibitor, antagonized the growth suppression induced by cordycepin. Furthermore, the level of cyclin D1 protein in B16-BL6 cells was decreased by cordycepin. Cordycepin hence inhibits the proliferation of B16-BL6 cells by stimulating adenosine A3 receptors followed by the Wnt signaling pathway, including GSK-3beta activation and cyclin D1 inhibition (Yoshikawa et al., 2007).
Colorectal Cancer
The proliferation of SW480 (IC50 is 2 mmol/L) and SW620 (IC50 is 0.72 mmol/L) cells was significantly inhibited with increasing concentration of cordycepin (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
Additionally, the results showed that the cell numbers were significantly reduced with cordycepin in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P<0.01). These combined results imply that cordycepin directly inhibit the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells (He et al., 2010).
References