title: Korean red ginseng improves testicular ineffectiveness in aging rats by modulating spermatogenesis-related molecules.
abstract: Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is known to rejuvenate testicular effectiveness and the sperm maturation process by regulating redox proteins in aged rats. This study was performed to investigate the effect of Korean red ginseng water extract (KRG-WE) on the expression level of spermatogenesis-related key biomolecules and sex hormone receptors as well as enzymes regulating oxidation, histone deacetylation, and growth-related activities in aged rat testis. KRG-WE (200mg/kg) mixed with a regular pellet diet was administered to 12-month-old rats for 6months (KRG-AC), whereas the young (YC, 2months) and aged (AC, 12months) controls received the vehicle only. The results showed that the expression levels of spermatogenesis-related key biomolecules (inhibin-α, nectin-2, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate [cAMP] responsive element binding protein [CREB]-1), sex hormone receptors (androgen, luteinizing- and follicle-stimulating hormone receptors [AR, LHR, and FSHR, respectively]), and antioxidant enzymes (glutathione S-transferase mu [GSTm]-5, glutathione peroxidase [GPx]-4, peroxiredoxin [PRx]-3), as well as histone deactylation (silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1, SIRT1) and growth-related (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1, mTORC1) molecules were significantly altered in the AC group rat testes compared with those of the YC group. However, KRG-WE treatment of the AC group significantly (p<0.05) attenuated these molecular changes. From these results, it can be concluded that long-term administration of KRG-WE significantly delayed the aging-induced testicular dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Spandana Rajendra
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kopalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu-Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Sik
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jeong
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: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Sejong University, Kunja-dong, Kwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-747, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Sejong University, Kunja-dong, Kwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-747, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Constituents Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, 210-340, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su-Nam
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Constituents Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, 210-340, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical and 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 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D005894:Panax; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Aging; Androgen; Inhibin; Korean red ginseng; Peroxiredoxin; Sirtuin1; mTORC1