Rg3-enriched red ginseng extract promotes lung cancer cell apoptosis and mitophagy by ROS production

Soon-Kyung Hwang; Yun-Jeong Jeong; Hyun-Ji Cho; Yoon-Yub Park; Kwon-Ho Song; Young-Chae Chang

doi:10.1016/j.jgr.2021.05.005

Rg3-enriched red ginseng extract promotes lung cancer cell apoptosis and mitophagy by ROS production

J Ginseng Res. 2022 Jan;46(1):138-146. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2021.05.005. Epub 2021 May 19.

Authors

Soon-Kyung Hwang¹, Yun-Jeong Jeong¹, Hyun-Ji Cho¹, Yoon-Yub Park¹, Kwon-Ho Song¹, Young-Chae Chang¹

Affiliation

¹ Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.

Abstract

Background: Red Ginseng has been used for many years to treat diseases. Ginsenoside Rg3 has documented therapeutic effects, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the anticancer effect of Rg3-enriched red ginseng extract (Rg3-RGE) and its underlying mechanisms have not been fully explored. We investigated whether Rg3-RGE plays an anti-tumor role in lung cancer cells.

Methods: To examine the effect of Rg3-RGE on lung cancer cells, we performed cell viability assays, flow cytometry, western blotting analysis, and immunofluorescence to monitor specific markers.

Results: Rg3-RGE significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Furthermore, Rg3-RGE also increased expression of mitophagy-related proteins such as PINK1 and Parkin. In addition, treatment with Rg3-RGE and mitophagy inhibitors stimulated cell death by inducing mitochondria dysfunction.

Conclusions: Rg3-RGE could be used as a therapeutic agent against lung cancer.

Keywords: PINK1-parkin signaling; Rg3-RGE (Rg3-enriched red ginseng extract); apoptosis; mitophagy.