Apoptotic Effects of the Extracts of Cordyceps militaris via Erk Phosphorylation in a Renal Cell Carcinoma Cell Line

Cordyceps militaris (CM) is gaining attention as a traditional medicinal food, but its molecular biological mechanisms for anti-cancer activity are not identified or clarified. We aimed to elucidate the synthesizing apoptotic effects of CM extracts and to determine the biological effects of CM extract against cordycepin alone in a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell line. CM extract showed higher effects of growth inhibition, apoptotic effect, and cell cycle arrest than cordycepin alone. Moreover, CM extract activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) highly more than cordycepin alone. We suggest that cordycepin and CM extract induced apoptosis via the activation of Erk dominantly and AMP-activated protein kinase slightly; CM extract has more potent effects on apoptotic effects associated with Erk activation than cordycepin alone.