Expression of antiviral cytokines in Crandell-Reese feline kidney cells pretreated with Korean red ginseng extract or ginsenosides

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2014-08, Vol.70, p.19-25
• Main Authors: Lee, Min Hwa, Seo, Dong Joo, Kang, Ju-Hee, Oh, Seung Hyun, Choi, Changsun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiviral; Antiviral agents; Biological and medical sciences; Calicivirus, Feline - drug effects; Cats; Cell Line; Feline calicivirus; Food toxicology; General pharmacology; Ginsenoside; Ginsenosides - pharmacology; Interferons - genetics; Interferons - metabolism; Kidney - cytology; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - virology; Korean red ginseng; Medical sciences; Myxovirus Resistance Proteins - genetics; Myxovirus Resistance Proteins - metabolism; Norovirus; Panax - chemistry; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; RNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; RNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Toxicology; Up-Regulation; Zinc Fingers
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2014.04.034

•We examine the antiviral cytokines expression of Korean red ginseng and ginsenosides against feline calicivirus.•mRNA expression of antiviral cytokines was upregulated in the FCV-challenged group treated with the KRG or ginsenosides.•The Mx protein was expressed in ginsenoside Rg1 or Rg1 pretreated CRFK cells.•Induction of antiviral cytokines contributes to the reduction of the FCV infection. The antiviral activity and protective mechanism of Korean red ginseng (KRG) is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective mechanism of KRG extract and ginsenosides against feline calicivirus (FCV), a human norovirus surrogate. CRFK cells that were pretreated for 48h with 10μg/mL of KRG extract or purified ginsenoside Rb1 or Rg1, were inoculated with FCV. RNA extracted from each treated group was examined for the expression of antiviral cytokines, including interferon-α (IFN-α), interferon-β (IFN-β), interferon-ω (IFN-ω), Mx, and zinc finger antiviral protein shorter isoform (ZAPS), by relative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. mRNA expression of IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-ω, Mx, and ZAPS was significantly induced in the FCV-challenged group pretreated with the KRG extract or ginsenosides, and it was higher than the group treated with FCV alone. Mx protein expression was confirmed by western blotting of CRFK cells pretreated with the ginsenoside Rb1 or with Rg1. Induction of antiviral cytokines contributes to the reduction of the viral titer in CRFK cells pretreated with the KRG extract and purified ginsenosides. In future studies, the antiviral protective mechanism of KRG should be demonstrated using other viruses such as human norovirus.