Ginsenoside Rg1 attenuates concanavalin A-induced hepatitis in mice through inhibition of cytokine secretion and lymphocyte infiltration

• Published in: Molecular and cellular biochemistry 2013-08, Vol.380 (1-2), p.203-210
• Main Authors: Cao, Lijun, Zou, Yun, Zhu, Jiali, Fan, Xiaohua, Li, Jinbao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alanine transaminase; Animals; Aspartate; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blotting, Western; Cardiology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - pathology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - pathology; Central Nervous System Agents - pharmacology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - etiology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - metabolism; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - prevention & control; Chemokine CXCL10 - genetics; Chemokine CXCL10 - metabolism; Concanavalin A - toxicity; Cytokines; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Cytokines - secretion; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Gene Expression - drug effects; Ginsenosides - pharmacology; Hepatitis; Herbal medicine; I-kappa B Proteins - metabolism; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - genetics; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism; Intravenous administration; Life Sciences; Liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Lymphocytes; Male; Medical Biochemistry; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mitogens; NF-kappa B - genetics; NF-kappa B - metabolism; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; Oncology; Phosphates; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rodents; Transcription Factor RelA - metabolism
• ISSN: 0300-8177; 1573-4919
• DOI: 10.1007/s11010-013-1674-y

The effect of ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) on hepatic damage caused by concanavalin A (Con A) has not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of Rg1 on Con A-induced hepatitis in mice and explore the potential mechanisms of this effect. C57BL/6 mice were divided randomly into the following four experimental groups: phosphate-buffered saline group, Rg1 group, Con A group, Con A + Rg1 group. Mice received Rg1 (20 mg/kg) 3 h before intravenous administration of Con A (15 mg/kg). Levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and cytokine production were measured, the amount of phosphorylated IκBα and p65 were tested, the numbers of CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes infiltrated in the blood, spleen and liver were calculated, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and interferon-inducible chemokine-10 (CXCL-10) levels were measured and histological examination of the livers was conducted. Pretreatment with Rg1 markedly reduced the elevated levels of serum aminotransferase, ameliorated liver damage and suppressed proinflammatory cytokines secretion via inhibition NF-κB activity following Con A injection of mice. Furthermore, Rg1 administration reduced ICAM-1 and CXCL-10 mRNA expression in the liver as well as the number of CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes infiltrating in the liver. Rg1 reduced the incidence of liver damage through inhibition of the proinflammatory response and suppressed the recruitment of CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes to the liver. These data indicate that Rg1 represents a novel agent for the treatment of T lymphocyte-dependent liver injury.