Researchers at the University of Nottingham have made significant strides in understanding how a unique compound produced by the caterpillar fungus Cordyceps militaris could potentially be used as a cancer treatment. This fungus, widely recognized in Asian traditional medicine for its health benefits, contains a compound called cordycepin. Studies have shown that cordycepin can interrupt cell growth signals, which may be effective against cancer. However, until recently, scientists had a limited understanding of how cordycepin works at the genetic level to impact cell growth and signaling pathways.
Led by Dr. Cornelia de Moor from the School of Pharmacy, the Nottingham research team used advanced high-throughput screening techniques to explore cordycepin’s molecular effects on cells. Their findings, published in the journal FEBS Letters, reveal that cordycepin disrupts specific pathways involved in cell proliferation. By mapping how cordycepin affects thousands of genes across different cell lines, the team identified its unique mechanism of action, providing new insights into its therapeutic potential.
Cordycepin, found in the Cordyceps militaris fungus, is an unusual natural compound that mimics certain biological molecules within the cell. When ingested, it is converted by the body into cordycepin triphosphate, a molecule structurally similar to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy carrier in cells. This similarity enables cordycepin triphosphate to interfere with ATP-dependent cellular processes. ATP is crucial for cell functions, particularly for the signaling pathways that regulate cell division and growth. By substituting ATP with cordycepin triphosphate, cordycepin disrupts these signals, effectively halting the uncontrolled cell growth characteristic of cancer.
The researchers’ experiments confirmed that cordycepin’s effectiveness in inhibiting cancer cell growth lies in its ability to mimic ATP. When introduced into cancer cells, cordycepin triphosphate integrates into the cell’s biochemical machinery and disrupts the signaling pathways that promote growth and division. This interference has the potential to selectively target cancerous cells without harming healthy cells, a significant advantage over conventional chemotherapy treatments, which often damage both cancerous and healthy cells. Dr. de Moor emphasized that these findings underscore cordycepin’s potential as a starting point for developing new, more selective cancer therapies.
One of the exciting aspects of this research is the ability to conduct large-scale gene analyses at a lower cost and higher speed, which was crucial for examining the effects of cordycepin on thousands of genes simultaneously. By comparing the gene activity changes caused by cordycepin with those induced by other known cancer treatments, the researchers were able to pinpoint which specific growth-inducing pathways cordycepin affects. This comprehensive analysis not only highlighted cordycepin’s direct effects on cancer-related pathways but also revealed its broader impact on cellular health, offering clues for optimizing its use in cancer treatment.
Another significant aspect of the study is the potential for cordycepin derivatives. Since cordycepin must be converted into its triphosphate form within the body to exert its anti-cancer effects, researchers believe that designing derivatives which naturally exist as or readily convert into cordycepin triphosphate could improve treatment efficacy. These derivatives could maintain cordycepin’s cancer-fighting properties while enhancing its stability and delivery to cancer cells, making it more effective and reliable in clinical applications.
The study also holds promise for patient monitoring during treatment. The researchers discovered specific genes whose activity levels change consistently in response to cordycepin. These genes could serve as biomarkers, enabling doctors to track the treatment’s progress and adjust dosages more accurately based on real-time biological feedback from patients. For instance, by measuring the activity of these marker genes in a patient’s blood cells, clinicians could determine how effectively cordycepin is working and tailor treatments to maximize its therapeutic effects.
This research contributes to a growing body of evidence that Cordyceps militaris, a parasitic fungus with a long history in traditional medicine, contains bioactive compounds with valuable medicinal properties. While cordycepin’s effects on cancer cells are among the most promising discoveries, the compound has also shown potential in treating a range of other conditions. Dr. de Moor and her team have been investigating these effects for several years, gradually unraveling the mechanisms that make cordycepin effective across different disease models.
The findings from this study not only advance our understanding of cordycepin as a potential cancer treatment but also encourage further research into other fungal compounds that may have untapped medicinal value. By elucidating the molecular pathways cordycepin affects, this research opens the door for developing targeted therapies that harness natural compounds to combat cancer and other diseases with greater precision and fewer side effects than traditional treatments.
Source: University of Nottingham