title: Effects of extracted Cordyceps sinensis on steroidogenesis in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells.
abstract: Extracts from the mycelium of Cordyceps sinensis (CS) were tested to determine the in vitro effect on Leydig cell function. MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells were used to conduct the experiments. Results showed that progesterone production gradually increased as the dosage of combined water and ethanol extracted CS increased, and there was a statistically significant difference in progesterone production stimulated by 20 mg/ml of CS extracts compared to the control. The combined water and ethanol extracted CS significantly stimulated MA-10 cell steroid production at 12 and 24 h of incubation. In addition, a protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, did not block the stimulatory effects of CS extracts on MA-10 cell steroid production or total protein expression. Moreover, the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein, which is a critical protein for steroidogenesis, stimulated by CS extracts, could not be detected by Western blot analysis. These data indicate that CS extracts might not induce StAR protein and/or other protein expressions to stimulate steroidogenesis in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kong University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Leu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000737:chemistry*; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D006999:Hypocreales / Q000737:chemistry*; D007984:Leydig Cell Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; D011374:Progesterone; D003994:Bucladesine; D003513:Cycloheximide