Immunostimulatory effects of cordycepin-enriched WIB-801CE from Cordyceps militaris in splenocytes and cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice.

The medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris has been reported to possess anticancer and immunomodulatory effects. We investigated the immunostimulatory effects of culture supernatant of C. militaris (WIB-801CE) by examining its in vitro enhancing effects on cell proliferation and cytokine releases in splenocytes and its in vivo effects on cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice.

Pyruvate promotes tumor angiogenesis through HIF-1-dependent PAI-1 expression.

Cancer cells usually obtain energy from a high rate of glycolysis rather than oxidative phosphorylation under normoxia as well as hypoxia. Under these circumstances, pyruvate, the end-product of glycolysis, accumulates in cancer cells. We have previously reported that pyruvate activates endothelial cells and induces angiogenesis.