Cordyceps sinensis and its fractions stimulate MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cell steroidogenesis

The effects of Cordyceps sinensis (CS) and its extracted fractions on stero idogenesis in MA-10 cells were determined. Different concentrations of CS a nd 3 fractions of CS (F1, a water-soluble polysaccharide; F2, a water-solub le protein; and F3, a poorly water-soluble polysaccharide and protein) were added to MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells with or without human chorionic go nadotropin (hCG), and the production of steroid and the expression of stero idogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) were examined. The results showed that CS alone (2-10 mg/mL) stimulated MA-10 cell progesterone production in a dose-dependent relationship. Fractions F1 and F3 (2-10 mg/mL) also had s ignificant (P<.05) stimulatory effects on MA-10 cell steroidogenesis with a dose-dependent relationship. However, fraction F2 did not have an effect o n MA-10 cells. CS and F3, but not F1, significantly induced more steroid pr oduction in hCG-stimulated MA-10 cells (P<.05). As a temporal relationship, F1 and F3 (2 mg/mL) maximally stimulated progesterone production between 1 and 3 hours after stimulation in MA-10 cells. In addition, CS and F3 signi ficantly enhanced MA-10 cell StAR protein expression, which indicates that CS and F3 may use a cyclic adenosine monophosphate signal transduction path way to activate MA-10 Leydig cell steroidogenesis in a manner to that of lu teinizing hormone.