Growth inhibition of U937 leukemia cells by aqueous extract of Cordyceps militaris through induction of apoptosis

  • Authors:
    • Cheol Park
    • Sang Hoon Hong
    • Jae-Yun Lee
    • Gi-Young Kim
    • Byung Tae Choi
    • Yong Tea Lee
    • Dong Il Park
    • Yeong-Min Park
    • Yong-Kee Jeong
    • Yung Hyun Choi
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 1, 2005     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.13.6.1211
  • Pages: 1211-1216
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Abstract

Cordyceps militaris is a traditional herbal ingredient, which has been used for patients suffering from cancer in Oriental medicine. In the present study, we investigated the biochemical mechanisms of anti-proliferative effects by aqueous extract of C. militaris (AECM) in human leukemia U937 cells. It was found that AECM could inhibit cell growth of U937 cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with morphological change and apoptotic cell death such as formation of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation. We observed the down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression and proteolytic activation of caspase-3 in AECM-treated U937 cells. However, AECM did not affect the pro-apoptotic Bax expression and activity of caspase-9. Furthermore, Western blotting and RT-PCR revealed that AECM treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2 accumulation. Taken together, these results indicated that the anti-proliferative effects of AECM were associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death through regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products such as Bcl-2 family expression and caspase protease activity, and AECM may have therapeutic potential in human leukemia treatment.

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June 2005
Volume 13 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

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Spandidos Publications style
Park C, Hong SH, Lee J, Kim G, Choi BT, Lee YT, Park DI, Park Y, Jeong Y, Choi YH, Choi YH, et al: Growth inhibition of U937 leukemia cells by aqueous extract of Cordyceps militaris through induction of apoptosis. Oncol Rep 13: 1211-1216, 2005.
APA
Park, C., Hong, S.H., Lee, J., Kim, G., Choi, B.T., Lee, Y.T. ... Choi, Y.H. (2005). Growth inhibition of U937 leukemia cells by aqueous extract of Cordyceps militaris through induction of apoptosis. Oncology Reports, 13, 1211-1216. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.13.6.1211
MLA
Park, C., Hong, S. H., Lee, J., Kim, G., Choi, B. T., Lee, Y. T., Park, D. I., Park, Y., Jeong, Y., Choi, Y. H."Growth inhibition of U937 leukemia cells by aqueous extract of Cordyceps militaris through induction of apoptosis". Oncology Reports 13.6 (2005): 1211-1216.
Chicago
Park, C., Hong, S. H., Lee, J., Kim, G., Choi, B. T., Lee, Y. T., Park, D. I., Park, Y., Jeong, Y., Choi, Y. H."Growth inhibition of U937 leukemia cells by aqueous extract of Cordyceps militaris through induction of apoptosis". Oncology Reports 13, no. 6 (2005): 1211-1216. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.13.6.1211