Ginsenoside Rh2 Induces Human Hepatoma Cell Apoptosis via Bax/Bak Triggered Cytochrome C Release and Caspase-9/Caspase-8 Activation

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Xiao-Xi Guo¹  Qiao Guo¹  Yang Li¹  Seung Ki Lee²  Xue-Ning Wei¹ 

[1] Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; E-Mails:;College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea; E-Mail:

关键词: apoptosis;    Bax/Bak translocation;    caspase activation cascade;    caspase-8/Bid pathway;    ginsenoside Rh2;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms131215523

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) has been shown to induce apoptotic cell death in a variety of cancer cells. However, the details of the signal transduction cascade involved in G-Rh2-induced cell death is unclear. In this manuscript we elucidate the molecular mechanism of G-Rh2-induced apoptosis in human hepatoma SK-HEP-1 cells by demonstrating that G-Rh2 causes rapid and dramatic translocation of both Bak and Bax, which subsequently triggers mitochondrial cytochrome c release and consequent caspase activation. Interestingly, siRNA-based gene inactivation of caspase-8 effectively delays caspase-9 activation and apoptosis induced by G-Rh2, indicating that caspase-8 also plays an important role in the G-Rh2-induced apoptosis program. Taken together, our results indicate that G-Rh2 employs a multi pro-apoptotic pathway to execute cancer cell death, suggesting a potential role for G-Rh2 as a powerful chemotherapeutic agent.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.