Ginseng total saponin modulates podocyte p130Cas in diabetic condition

Review of Ginseng Anti-Diabetic Studies

Ginseng is one of the most valuable and commonly used Chinese medicines not only in ancient China but also worldwide. Ginsenosides, also known as saponins or triterpenoids, are thought to be responsible for the beneficial effects of ginseng. In this review, we summarize recent publications on anti-diabetic studies of ginseng extracts and ginsenosides in cells, animals, and humans. It seems that the anti-diabetic effect of ginseng is positive for type 2 diabetic patients but has no significant impact on prediabetes or healthy adults. Regulation of insulin secretion, glucose uptake, anti-oxidative stress, and anti-inflammatory pathways may be the mechanisms involved with ginseng's anti-diabetic effects. Taken together, this summary provides evidence for the anti-diabetes effects of ginseng extracts and ginsenosides as well as the underlying mechanisms of their impact on diabetes.

Ginseng Total Saponin Attenuates Podocyte Apoptosis Induced by Diabetic Conditions Through the Recovery of CD2-Associated Protein

CD2-associated protein (CD2AP), an adaptor protein, plays several important roles in podocyte function, linking slit diaphragms to actin-based cytoskeleton and sending survival signals. Here, we investigated whether ginseng total saponin (GTS) had a protective role in the changes of podocyte CD2AP protein and podocyte apoptosis under in vitro diabetic conditions. Conditionally immortalized mouse podocytes cultured with normal glucose (5 mM) or high glucose (30 mM) and with or without advanced glycosylation end products were treated with GTS. We found that CD2AP co-localized with the F-actin fibers in podocyte cytoplasm using confocal imaging; however, diabetic conditions caused the podocytes to diminish and conglomerate CD2AP stainings in the peripheral cytoplasm, which were recovered by GTS. Diabetic conditions also suppressed CD2AP protein levels at 6 and 24 h in western blotting. These phenotypical changes of CD2AP protein were mitigated by GTS. Diabetic conditions also induced podocyte apoptosis at 24 h, which were attenuated by GTS. These findings provide a novel mechanism that diabetic conditions induce quantitative and qualitative changes of podocyte CD2AP protein and apoptosis, which would be restored by GTS.

Angiotensin II Modulates p130Cas of Podocytes by the Suppression of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase

Angiotensin II (Ang II) induces the pathological process of vascular structures, including renal glomeruli by hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic direct effects. In kidneys, Ang II plays an important role in the development of proteinuria by the modification of podocyte molecules. We have previously found that Ang II suppressed podocyte AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) via Ang II type 1 receptor and MAPK signaling pathway. In the present study, we investigated the roles of AMPK on the changes of p130Cas of podocyte by Ang II. We cultured mouse podocytes and treated them with various concentrations of Ang II and AMPK-modulating agents and analyzed the changes of p130Cas by confocal imaging and western blotting. In immunofluorescence study, Ang II decreased the intensity of p130Cas and changed its localization from peripheral cytoplasm into peri-nuclear areas in a concentrated pattern in podocytes. Ang II also reduced the amount of p130Cas in time and dose-sensitive manners. AMPK activators, metformin and AICAR, restored the suppressed and mal-localized p130Cas significantly, whereas, compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, further aggravated the changes of p130Cas. Losartan, an Ang II type 1 receptor antagonist, recovered the abnormal changes of p130Cas suppressed by Ang II. These results suggest that Ang II induces the relocalization and suppression of podocyte p130Cas by the suppression of AMPK via Ang II type 1 receptor, which would contribute to Ang II-induced podocyte injury.

A review on the medicinal potential of Panax ginseng saponins in diabetes mellitus

This review article summarizes the anti-diabetic effects and mechanisms ofPanax ginsengsaponins and its active specific ginsenosides.

Paris saponin VII inhibits metastasis by modulating matrix metalloproteinases in colorectal cancer cells

Metastasis is the main cause of mortality of patients with cancer-related disease. Targeting the process of metastasis has been proposed as a potential strategy in cancer treatment. Trillium tschonoskii Maxim., a traditional Chinese medicine, is used for the treatment of numerous diseases, including cancer. The current study aimed to determine the anti-metastatic effect of Paris saponin VII (PS VII), which was extracted from T. tschonoskii Maxim., using SW620 and LoVo cells, two human metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. The present study conducted cell attachment, wound healing and migration assays to detect the anti-metastatic effects of PS VII on colorectal cells. In addition, gelatin zymography assay and western blot analysis were used to detect the possible mechanisms involved. The results of this study demonstrated that PS VII significantly suppresses the viability, attachment, migration and invasive abilities of CRC cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, PS Ⅶ reduced the expression levels and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. These data indicate that PS VII reduces the metastatic capability of CRC cells, possibly via the downregulation of the expression and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9. These results demonstrate a novel therapeutic potential for PS VII in anti-metastatic therapy.

Ginseng total saponin modulates the changes of α-actinin-4 in podocytes induced by diabetic conditions

Background

The actin cytoskeleton in podocytes is essential for the maintenance of its normal structure and function. Its disruption is a feature of podocyte foot-process effacement and is associated with proteinuria. α-Actinin-4 in podocytes serves as a linker protein binding the actin filaments of the cytoskeleton.

Methods

To investigate the effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the pathological changes of podocyte α-actinin-4 induced by diabetic conditions, we cultured mouse podocytes under normal glucose (5mM) or high glucose (HG, 30mM) conditions, with or without the addition of advanced glycosylation end products (AGE), and treated with GTS.

Results

In confocal imaging, α-actinin-4 colocalized with the ends of F-actin fibers in cytoplasm, but diabetic conditions disrupted F-actin fibers and concentrated α-actinin-4 molecules at the peripheral cytoplasm. GTS upregulated α-actinin protein in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and suppressed the receptor for AGE levels in western blotting. Diabetic conditions, including HG, AGE, and both together, decreased cellular α-actinin-4 protein levels at 24 h and 48 h. Such quantitative and qualitative changes of α-actinin-4 protein induced by diabetic conditions were mitigated by GTS.

Conclusion

These findings imply that both HG and AGE have an influence on the distribution and amount of α-actinin-4 in podocytes that can be recovered by GTS.