title: Panax ginseng induces anterograde transport of pigment organelles in Xenopus melanophores.
abstract: Melanophores from Xenopus laevis are pigmented cells, capable of quick colour changes through cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) coordinated transport of their intracellular pigment granules, melanosomes. In this study we use the melanophore cell line to evaluate the effects of Panax ginseng extract G115 on organelle transport. Absorbance readings of melanophore-coated microplates, Correlate-EIA direct cAMP enzyme immunoassay kit, and western blot were used to measure the melanosome movement and changes in intracellular signalling. We show that Panax ginseng induces a fast concentration-dependent anterograde transport of the melanosomes. No significant increase in the cAMP level was seen and pre-incubation of melanophores with the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor EGF-R Fragment 651-658 (M-EGF) only partly decreased the ginseng-induced dispersion. We also demonstrate that Panax ginseng, endothelin-3 (ET-3) and alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) stimulate an activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). Pre-incubation with M-EGF decreased the MAPK activity induced by ET-3 and MSH, but again only marginally affected the response of Panax ginseng. Thus, in melanophores we suggest that Panax ginseng stimulates an anterograde transport of pigment organelles via a non-cAMP and mainly PKC-independent pathway.
authors.affiliation: Division of Drug Research/Pharmacology, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. thejo@imv.liu.se
authors.forename: Therese L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Samuel P S
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: Ingemar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lundström
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.forename: Tony P M
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Rolf G G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019334:Endothelin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods; D008547:Melanophores / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015388:Organelles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019334:Endothelin-3; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000521:alpha-MSH; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011493:Protein Kinase C