title: Ginseng marc-derived low-molecular weight oligosaccharide inhibits the growth of skin melanoma cells via activation of RAW264.7 cells.
abstract: Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been traditionally consumed to prevent or treat various medical disorders due to its diverse health benefits. Polysaccharides isolated from Panax ginseng have been known to possess various pharmacological activities, including immune modulating, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity properties. Despite the increasing number of reports on the bioactivities of ginseng polysaccharides, little is known regarding the medicinal potential of ginseng-derived oligosaccharides. In this study, we prepared a lower-molecular weight oligosaccharide (GOS, MW. 2.2kDa) from ginseng polysaccharides (MW. 11-605kDa) by enzymatic degradation and evaluated for its immunostimulating activities in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. GOS was shown to be a glucan type oligosaccharide mainly containing glucose residues (97.48 in molar %). Treatment with GOS (100-500μg/ml) dose-dependently enhanced the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and NO in RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot analysis indicated that GOS dose-dependently induced the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and nuclear factor κB (NFκB), which are upstream signalling molecules for cytokine production. While GOS was not cytotoxic to the RAW 264.7 macrophage cells at the concentration tested (up to 1000μg/ml), when B16F10 melanoma cells were co-cultured with the GOS-activated macrophages, the cell viability of melanoma cells was dose-dependently decreased through the induction of apoptotic cell death. Taken together, these results suggested that ginseng marc-derived GOS has anti-cancer activity in vitro against melanoma cells by potentiating macrophage function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 420-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 420-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Won
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 420-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Doo Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 420-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jisun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Biotopia Co., Ltd., Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 200-883, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 420-743, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yongil382@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yong Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D015850:Interleukin-6; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C577686:interleukin-6, mouse; D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Anti-cancer activity; Ginseng marc; Immunomodulation; Low-molecular weight oligosaccharide