Ginsenoside Rg3 Induces Apoptosis in B16F10 Melanoma Cells

Abstract

Ginsenoside Rg3 is one of the active ingredients extracted from red ginseng, and it is an effective chemical component of the human body and well known in herbal medicine as a restorative agent. Several studies have shown that Rg3 has a potent anti-tumor effect on various cancer cell lines. However, Rg3-induced apoptosis in B16F10 melanoma cancer cells is not well understood. In the present study, we tested whether ginsenoside Rg3 could induce apoptosis in B16F10 melanoma cells. We found that Rg3 could inhibit B16F10 melanoma cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, but not normal cells, such as EA.hy.926 and NIH3T3 cells. We also found that Rg3 could induce apoptosis in B16F10 melanoma cells using tunnel-staining assay in a dose-dependent manner. Rg3 treatment induces the phosphorylation of p38 and the expression of Bax, but it inhibits the expressions of the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase Bcl2 and pro-caspase3. Taken together, our data suggest that Rg3 could be useful as an anti-cancer agent in B16F10 melanoma cells.

Effects of ginsenoside Rg3 on apoptosis in A375.S2 melanoma cells

“…Meanwhile, studies on malignant melanoma have reported that Rg3 exerted apoptotic and anti-metastatic effects on B16F10 melanoma cells ( 30 , 31 ). In a study conducted by Lee et al in 2014, results of a cell viability test, TUNEL assay, and western blotting indicated that apoptosis occurred in B16F10 melanoma cells when treated with Rg3 ( 30 ).…”

“…Meanwhile, studies on malignant melanoma have reported that Rg3 exerted apoptotic and anti-metastatic effects on B16F10 melanoma cells ( 30 , 31 ). In a study conducted by Lee et al in 2014, results of a cell viability test, TUNEL assay, and western blotting indicated that apoptosis occurred in B16F10 melanoma cells when treated with Rg3 ( 30 ). Subsequently, Lee et al reported in their 2015 study, in which they assessed cell viability, cell morphology, cell migration, invasion ability, and colony formation ability, as well as performing a western blot analysis, that the MMP-13 protein was inhibited, confirming that Rg3 inhibited the metastasis of B16F10 cells ( 31 ).…”

“…It has especially been noted to exert anti-cancer effects such as apoptosis induction and anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic, and anti-angiogenetic effects ( 24 - 29 ). Research on malignant melanoma has reported that Rg3 exerted apoptotic and anti-metastatic effects on B16F10 melanoma cells ( 30 , 31 ). However, B16F10 melanoma cells are a cell strain originating from mice, and studies on the anti-cancer effects of Rg3 on melanoma cells originating from humans have been rarely reported.…”

Immunogenic Cell Death Induced by Ginsenoside Rg3: Significance in Dendritic Cell-based Anti-tumor Immunotherapy

“…One of the Ginsenosides, Rg3, has been known to kill tumor cells as well as modulate the immune system ( 10 11 12 ). Numerous studies have demonstrated that Rg3 suppresses tumor growth by inhibiting the invasive and metastatic ability of various tumors including lung ( 13 14 15 16 17 ) and ovarian carcinoma cells ( 18 ) and/or by promoting the apoptosis of melanoma cells ( 19 ). Very few studies have been done into whether the immunomodulatory activity of Rg3 has any anticancer effects, particularly the role of Rg3 in inducing immunogenic tumor cell death.…”