Effects of ginsenosides on organogenesis and expression of glutathione peroxidase genes in cultured rat embryos.
Ginseng has been extensively used around the world for several thousand years as a food or drug. However, recently, several reports have indicated that the organogenesis of cultured embryos is inhibited by treatment with ginsenoside, the principal component of ginseng. In this study, we evaluated the morphological changes of embryos and the gene expression patterns of antioxidant enzymes, 3 types of glutathione peroxidases [GPx; cytosolic (cGPx), plasma (pGPx) and phospholipid hydroperoxide (phGPx) forms], in cultured rat embryos (embryonic days 9.5-11.5) exposed to ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, Re and Rc at levels of 5, 50 and 100 microg/ml. With regard to total morphological scores, no significant differences were noted in the embryos exposed to all doses of ginsenosides, with the exception of 50 microg/ml of Rc. In the cultured embryos exposed to Rg1, a majority of the developmental parameters were normal, but growth of the hind- and mid- brains and the caudal neural tube was significantly increased compared with that observed in the control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, Rc significantly enhanced the growth of a variety of developmental parameters in the cultured embryos, with the exception of the hindlimbs. According to the results of our semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis, the levels of cGPx and phGPx mRNA in the cultured embryos were unaffected by treatment with the ginsenosides. However, the levels of pGPx mRNA increased significantly in the embryos treated with ginsenosides Re, Rc and Rb1 compared with the control group (P<0.05). These findings indicate that ginsenosides may exert a stimulatory effect on the growth of embryos via differential expression of GPx genes.
Lee
Se-Ra
SR
College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
Kim
Mi-Ra
MR
Yon
Jung-Min
JM
Baek
In-Jeoung
IJ
Lee
Beom-Jun
BJ
Ahn
Byeongwoo
B
Kim
Yun-Bae
YB
Kwack
Seung-Jun
SJ
Lee
Rhee-Da
RD
Kim
Soon-Sun
SS
Cho
Dae-Hyun
DH
Hur
Gyeung-Haeng
GH
Yun
Young-Won
YW
Nam
Sang-Yoon
SY
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000975:Antioxidants; D036145:Ginsenosides; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase