title: Pectinase-treated Panax ginseng extract (GINST) rescues testicular dysfunction in aged rats via redox-modulating proteins.
abstract: The root of Panax ginseng improves testicular function both in humans and animals. However, the molecular mechanism by which ginseng exerts this effect has not been elucidated. Changes in protein expression in the rat testis in response to a pectinase-treated P. ginseng extract (GINST) were identified using 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Number of sperm, Sertoli cells and germ cells, and the Sertoli Cell Index decrease in the testis of aged rats (AR) relative to young control rats (YCR). However, those parameters were completely restored in GINST-treated AR (GINST-AR). A proteomic analysis identified 14 proteins that were differentially expressed between vehicle-treated AR (V-AR) and GINST-AR. Out of these, the expression of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) mu5 and phospholipid hydroperoxide (PH) glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was significantly up-regulated in GINST-AR compared to V-AR. The activity of GPx and GST, as well as the expression of glutathione, in the testis of GINST-AR was higher than that in V-AR. The levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) increased in AR compared with YCR, but this change was reversed by GINST-AR. These results suggest that the administration of GINST enhances testicular function by elevating GPx and GST activity, thus resulting in increased glutathione, which prevents LPO in the testis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yu-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bo-Kyung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Kyu
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hyo
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Kwang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Science and Industry, Daejeon University, Daejeon 300-716, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seock-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Il Hwa Co., Ltd., Ginseng Research Institute, Guri 471-711, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: skkim@kku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Si-Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D005894:Panax; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011096:Polygalacturonase; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020543:Proteome; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D011096:Polygalacturonase
keywords: Glutathione; Glutathione peroxidase; Glutathione-S-transferase; Panax ginseng; Testicular dysfunction