Ginsenoside-Rg5 Inhibits Retinoblastoma Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis through Suppressing BCL2 Expression

Abstract

Background/Aims: Although the cure rate for retinoblastoma is high, surviving patients are at risk for developing secondary cancers and require life-long follow-up. It is imperative to discover and develop novel therapeutic agents with better efficiency and fewer adverse effects. Ginsenoside-Rg5 is an active derivate from ginseng and exerts anti-cancer activity in breast cancer cells. However, it is still unclear whether ginsenoside-Rg5 has similar anti-cancer functions in retinoblastoma. Methods: Retinoblastoma cells were treated with ginsenoside-Rg5, followed by MTT assay analysis of the cell viability, cell number assay and colony formation assay analyses of cell proliferation, and flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis. Gene mRNA levels and protein levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Results: Ginsenoside-Rg5 inhibited retinoblastoma cell viability in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner via preventing cell proliferation and inducing cell apoptosis. BCL2 expression was downregulated by ginsenoside-Rg5 treatment via inactivating the AKT signaling pathway. BCL2 overexpression completely eliminated the inhibitory effect of ginsenoside-Rg5 on cancer cell viability. Conclusion: Ginsenoside-Rg5 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells by inactivating the AKT signaling pathway, thereby downregulating BCL2 expression.

Ginsenoside Rg5 Inhibits Human Osteosarcoma Cell Proliferation and Induces Cell Apoptosis through PI3K/Akt/mTORC1‐Related LC3 Autophagy Pathway

“…Rg5 also suppressed proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of human esophageal cancer cells and human hepatoma HepG2 cells [ 19 , 20 ]. Additionally, inhibiting the AKT signaling pathway and downregulating BCL2 expression is the main mechanism of Rg5 on inhibition of retinoblastoma cells [ 21 ]. Therefore, Rg5 may serve as a chemosensitizer for reversing multidrug resistance [ 22 ].…”

FEZF1-AS1 functions as an oncogenic lncRNA in retinoblastoma

“…Although the survival rate of retinoblastoma patients is up to 95% in developed countries, the survival rate of patients with retinoblastoma is still less than 70% in developing countries and less developed countries [4,5]. The tumorigenesis of retinoblastoma is a highly complicated process, which has close relationship with gene mutation [6,7], oncogene aberrant expression [8,9], and activation of oncogenic signaling pathways [10,11]. The molecular mechanisms underlying retinoblastoma occurrence and development remain unknown.…”

Pharmacological activities of ginsenoside Rg5 (Review)

“…Additionally, Rg5 promotes apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells by inhibiting the Akt signaling pathway and thereby downregulating Bcl-2 expression ( 30 ). Rg5 also promotes human cervical cancer cell apoptosis in concentration- and time-dependent manners by inducing DNA double-strand breaks and fragments ( 11 ).…”