Cordyceps sinensis mycelium induces MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cell apoptosis by activating the caspase-8 pathway and suppressing the NF-kappaB pathway.
Cordyceps sinensis has been used as nutritious food and medicine in Chinese society. CS can inhibit tumor growth and induce tumor cell apoptosis. CS induced MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cell death, but the anti-tumor mechanisms are not fully understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the apoptotic effect of CS on MA-10 cells and determine the molecular mechanism. CS (2-10 mg/ml) was added to MA-10 cells at different time scales (0-24 h). The condensation of DNA chromatin and apoptotic nuclear fragmentation increased in CS-treated MA-10 cells. Western blot analysis showed that 3 hours of CS treatment caused an increase in caspase-3 and -8 expressions only, which provided further evidence for the involvement of caspase-3 and -8 in CS-induced MA-10-cell apoptosis. CS blocked NF-?B protein expression in a dose-dependent relationship. CS induces MA-10 cell apoptosis by activating caspase-8-dependent and caspase-9-independent pathways and downregulating NF-?B protein expression.
Yang
H-Y
HY
Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Leu
S-F
SF
Wang
Y-K
YK
Wu
C-S
CS
Huang
B-M
BM
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053181:Caspase 8; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D032661:Cordyceps; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007984:Leydig Cell Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D025282:Mycelium; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism
D001688:Biological Products; D016328:NF-kappa B; C505526:Casp8 protein, mouse; D053181:Caspase 8; D020169:Caspases