Abstract
Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) has a wide range of therapeutic uses including cancer treatment. Human promyelocytic leukemia cells differentiate into monocytes or granulocytes when treated with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] or all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Treatment of HL-60 cells with zero to 100μg/ml of a methanol extract of ginseng for 72 h induced a small increase in cell differentiation. Surprisingly, a synergistic induction of differentiation was observed when HL-60 cells were treated with ATRA or 1,25-(OH)2D3 and the extract. The inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), but not of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K), inhibited the HL-60 differentiation induced by the extract in combination with ATRA or 1,25-(OH)2D3, signifying that PKC and ERK were involved in the cell differentiation enhancement by the extract. These results suggest that the ability of a methanol extract of ginseng to enhance the differentiation potential of ATRA or 1,25-(OH)2D3 may improve the ultimate outcome of acute promyelocytic leukemia therapy.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1048-1053 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry |
Volume | 73 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by grant no. RTI-04-03-03 (BPF-2004-S-1-5(A)) from the Regional Technology Innovation Program of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE).
Keywords
- 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
- All-trans retinoic acid
- HL-60 cells
- Leukemia
- Panax ginseng
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biotechnology
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Organic Chemistry