Cordycepin suppresses cell proliferation and migration by targeting CLEC2 in human gastric cancer cells via Akt signaling pathway.

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer is a common malignancy worldwide, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Cordycepin is a 3'-deoxyadenosine drug with significant anti-cancer effects. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying cordycepin action on gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration. METHODS: The human gastric cancer cell lines MGC-803 and HGC-27 were treated with different concentrations of cordycepin (25 µM, 50 µM, 100 µM and 5 µM, 25 µM and 50 µM) for 48 h. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT and colony formation assays, and in vitro migration by the wound healing and transwell assays. In addition, Flow Cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle and apoptosis. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate the expression levels of key factors. RESULTS: Cordycepin significantly inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration in a dose-dependent manner, in addition to inducing apoptosis and arresting the cell cycle at the G2 phase. Mechanistically, cordycepin targeted the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by significantly altering the expression levels/activation of several key mediators, and upregulated the anti-metastatic factor CLEC2. CONCLUSION: Cordycepin inhibited the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells by upregulating CLEC2 via the Akt signaling pathway.

Clinicopathological significance of maspin expression in breast cancer.

Maspin is a unique serine proteinase inhibitor that has tumor suppressor activity. It has been reported that maspin is expressed in normal human mammary epithelial cells and it is down-regulated during the progression of cancer. However, to date, there is very limited data on the clinical significance of maspin expression in human breast cancer. In this study, maspin expression was assessed immunohistochemically from 80 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) specimens of the breast. Also, maspin expression was compared with the clinicopathological factors (age, grade, tumor size and lymph node status), the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and p53, DNA ploidy and the overall survival in an attempt to assess its prognostic value. The maspin expression was positive in 25 IDC cases (31.3%). The maspin expression in IDC was significantly correlated with a higher histologic grade, a larger tumor size, a positive p53 status and shorter survival. There was an inverse association with maspin expression and the PR status. These findings suggest that maspin expression is not down-regulated with the progression of cancer and maspin expression may be associated with a poor prognosis. The immunohistochemical detection of maspin in breast cancers may be helpful for predicting an aggressive phenotype.