Cordycepin increases sensitivity of Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis by inactivating the JNK signaling pathway

Resistance to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis has been reported in various cancer cells. Cordycepin, a specific polyadenylation inhibitor, is the main functional component in Cordyceps militaris, which possesses many pharmacological activities including antitumor and anti-inflammation. In the present study, we demonstrated that treatment of cordycepin sensitized TRAIL-resistant Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis as evidenced by formation of apoptotic bodies, chromatin condensation and accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase. The induction of apoptosis following co-treatment with cordycepin and TRAIL in Hep3B cells appeared to be correlated with modulation of Bcl-2 family protein expression and activation of the caspase cascade, which resulted in the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and beta-catenin. In addition, cordycepin treatment also inhibited activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Pretreatment with SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, resulted in a significantly increased sub-G1 population and caspase activity in cordycepin plus TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Taken together, these results indicate that JNK acts as a key regulator of apoptosis in response to combined treatment with cordycepin and TRAIL in human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells.