American Ginseng Suppresses Colitis through p53-Mediated Apoptosis of Inflammatory Cells

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a dynamic, chronic inflammatory condition associated with an increased colon cancer risk. Inflammatory cell apoptosis is a key mechanism regulating ulcerative colitis. American ginseng (AG) is a putative antioxidant that can suppress hyperactive immune cells. We have recently shown that AG can prevent and treat mouse colitis. Because p53 levels are elevated in inflammatory cells in both mouse and human colitis, we tested the hypothesis that AG protects from colitis by driving inflammatory cell apoptosis through a p53 mechanism. We used isogenic p53 +/+ and p53 are consistent with our in vitro data and with the hypothesis that AG drives inflammatory cell apoptosis in vivo, providing a mechanism by which AG protects from colitis in this DSS mouse model.

Phenotypic and functional analysis of the modification of murine bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) induced by neutral Ginseng polysaccharides (NGP)

“…China NGP has become a commercial product for patients with various kinds of infections to improve the immune defense during infections, immune dysfunction and other immune boosting needed situation, such as cancers. [8][9][10][11][12] However, so far there are no reports on either the concrete mechanisms or maturation changes of DCs post treatment with NGP and the precise mechanisms to regulate the cells in immune system through dendritic cells (DCs) by NGP remain unclear.…”

Current and Novel Treatments for Ulcerative Colitis

“…A dysfunctional intestinal immune system is a major mechanism by which chronic inflammation occurs in ulcerative colitis and defects in apoptosis of mucosal inflammatory cells is critical in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Another study conducted by Jin et al (149), showed that AG extract can drive apoptosis of inflammatory cells through the p53 mechanism in vitro which is consistent with dietary AG protecting against DSS-induced colitis in the mouse model.…”

Inhibiting Protein Arginine Deiminases Has Antioxidant Consequences

“…Paraffin embedded tissues were serially sectioned, and one section from each mouse was stained with H&E. Sections were microscopically examined for histopathologic changes, as we did previously (Jin et al, 2010).…”