title: Ginsenoside Rg3 induces apoptosis in the U87MG human glioblastoma cell line through the MEK signaling pathway and reactive oxygen species.
abstract: Ginsenoside is known to have potential cancer-preventive activities. The major active components in red ginseng consist of a variety of ginsenosides including Rg3, Rg5 and Rk1, each of which has different pharmacological activities. Among these, Rg3 has been reported to exert anticancer activities through inhibition of angiogenesis and cell proliferation. However, the effects of Rg3 and its molecular mechanism on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remain unclear. Therefore, it is essential to develop a greater understanding of this novel compound. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Rg3 on a human glioblastoma cell line and its molecular signaling mechanism. The mechanisms of apoptosis by ginsenoside Rg3 were related with the MEK signaling pathway and reactive oxygen species. Our data suggest that ginsenoside Rg3 is a novel agent for the chemotherapy of GBM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 602-739, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Ji
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyun Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Wan
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: In Ho
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Byung Kwan
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Won Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D000975:Antioxidants; D036145:Ginsenosides; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; C097367:ginsenoside Rg3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; C482125:MAP2K1 protein, human; D020169:Caspases