CORDYCEPIN AND CORDYCEPS SINENSIS REDUCE THE GROWTH OF HUMAN PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKAEMIA CELLS THROUGH THE Wnt SIGNALLING PATHWAY

SUMMARY 1 The mechanism of the antitumour effect of cordycepin (3¢-deoxyadenosine) and water extracts of Cordyceps sinensis (WECS) was examined using human promyelocytic leukaemia (HL60) cells. 2 The growth of HL60 cells was inhibited by cordycepin (60 mmol/L) and WECS (30 mg/mL) and the inhibitory effects of these agents were significantly antagonized by MRS1191, a selective adenosine A3 receptor antagonist. 3 The growth inhibitory effects of cordycepin and WECS on HL60 cells were also significantly antagonized by indirubin, a glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3b inhibitor. 4 These findings suggest that cordycepin and WECS display an antitumour effect by stimulating adenosine A3 receptors, followed by activation of GSK-3b in the Wnt signalling pathway.