Ginseng berry extract supplementation improves age-related decline of insulin signaling in mice.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ginseng berry extract on insulin sensitivity and associated molecular mechanisms in aged mice. C57BL/6 mice (15 months old) were maintained on a regular diet (CON) or a regular diet supplemented with 0.05% ginseng berry extract (GBD) for 24 or 32 weeks. GBD-fed mice showed significantly lower serum insulin levels (p = 0.016) and insulin resistance scores (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.012), suggesting that GBD improved insulin sensitivity. Pancreatic islet hypertrophy was also ameliorated in GBD-fed mice (p = 0.007). Protein levels of tyrosine phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 (p = 0.047), and protein kinase B (AKT) (p = 0.037), were up-regulated in the muscle of insulin-injected GBD-fed mice compared with CON-fed mice. The expressions of forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) (p = 0.036) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) (p = 0.032), which are known as aging- and insulin resistance-related genes, were also increased in the muscle of GBD-fed mice. We conclude that ginseng berry extract consumption might increase activation of IRS-1 and AKT, contributing to the improvement of insulin sensitivity in aged mice.
College of Pharmacy and Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Korea. bcoh@gachon.ac.kr.|Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Korea. bcoh@gachon.ac.kr.
Eunhui
E
Seo
Center, Amorepacific Corporation, Gyeonggi-do 446-729, Korea. apsun20@amorepacific.com.
Sunmi
S
Kim
Center, Amorepacific Corporation, Gyeonggi-do 446-729, Korea. leesjun2006@gmail.com.
Sang Jun
SJ
Lee
Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Korea. bcoh@gachon.ac.kr.|Gachon Medical Research Institute, Gil Hospital, Incheon 405-760, Korea. bcoh@gachon.ac.kr.
Byung-Chul
BC
Oh
College of Pharmacy and Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Korea. hsjun@gachon.ac.kr.|Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon 406-840, Korea. hsjun@gachon.ac.kr.|Gachon Medical Research Institute, Gil Hospital, Incheon 405-760, Korea. hsjun@gachon.ac.kr.
Hee-Sook
HS
Jun
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C467200:Foxo1 protein, mouse; D007328:Insulin; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; C526295:Irs1 protein, mouse; D047495:PPAR gamma; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014280:Triglycerides; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt