title: Mechanisms of Panax ginseng in preventing rat pheochromocytoma cells from apoptosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although ginseng root possesses dominant central therapeutic effects and has recently undergone investigations for treating different neuronal diseases, most of its mechanisms are still unknown. Therefore, the neuroprotective mechanisms of ginseng were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The protection afforded by different methanol extracts of Panax ginseng (PG) was tested in a serum deprivation-induced apoptotic model using neuronal-like pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. An MTT assay, annexin V-FITC staining, and Western blots were, respectively, applied to identify the viability of cells, the apoptotic form of cell death, and the activity of antiapoptotic signaling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The known antiapoptotic PI3-K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways in this system were ruled out due to failure of LY 294002 and PD 98059 to block the protection by PG. A protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor was found to block the protection by PG and PG-induced CREB phosphorylation, suggesting that the PKA/CREB pathway mediates the protective effect of PG. Downregulation of classical and novel PKCs failed to block the protection by PG, while an atypical PKC inhibitor blocked protection by PG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PKA and atypical PKC are important for the protection afforded by PG in preventing serum deprivation-induced PC12 cell apoptosis.
authors: National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yun-Lian
authors: YL
authors: Lin
authors: Chuen-Lin
authors: CL
authors: Huang
authors: Yi-Chao
authors: YC
authors: Lee
authors: Wei-Chen
authors: WC
authors: Liao
authors: Wen-Lin
authors: WL
authors: Lai
authors: Yen-Ju
authors: YJ
authors: Lin
authors: Nai-Kuei
authors: NK
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016716:PC12 Cells; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000473:pathology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D011494:Protein Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt