Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) inhibits the growth of B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells through the stimulation of adenosine A3 receptor followed by glycogen synthase kinase-3beta activation and cyclin D1 suppression.

Cordyceps sinensis, a parasitic fungus on the larvae of Lepidoptera, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine. We previously reported that the growth of B16-BL6 mouse melanoma (B16-BL6) cells was inhibited by cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), an active ingredient of C. sinensis, and its effect was antagonized by MRS1191, a selective adenosine A3 receptor antagonist. In this study, the radioligand binding assay using [125I]-AB-MECA (a selective adenosine A3 receptor agonist) has shown that B16-BL6 cells express adenosine A3 receptors and that cordycepin binds to these receptors. We also confirmed the involvement of adenosine A3 receptors in the action of cordycepin using MRS1523 and MRS1220, specific adenosine A3 receptor antagonists. Next, indirubin, a glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) inhibitor, antagonized the growth suppression induced by cordycepin. Furthermore, the level of cyclin D1 protein in B16-BL6 cells was decreased by cordycepin using Western blot analysis. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that cordycepin inhibits the proliferation of B16-BL6 cells by stimulating adenosine A3 receptors followed by the Wnt signaling pathway, including GSK-3beta activation and cyclin D1 inhibition.