GinsenosideRg5 induces apoptosis and DNA damage in human cervical cancer cells

Abstract

Panax ginseng is traditionally used as a remedy for cancer, inflammation, stress and aging, and ginsenosideRg5 is a major bioactive constituent of steamed ginseng. The present study aimed to evaluate whether ginsenosideRg5 had any marked cytotoxic, apoptotic or DNAdamaging effects in human cervical cancer cells. Five human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa, MS751, C33A, Me180 and HT3) were used to investigate the cytotoxicity of ginsenosideRg5 using a 3(4,5dimethylthiazol2yl)2,5diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Additionally, the effects of ginsenosideRg5 on the apoptosis of HeLa and MS751 cells were detected using DNA ladder assays and flow cytometry. DNA damage was assessed in the HeLa and MS751 cells using alkaline comet assays and by detection of γH2AX focus formation. The HeLa and MS751 cells were significantly more sensitive to ginsenosideRg5 treatment compared with the C33A, HT3 and Me180 cells. As expected, ginsenosideRg5 induced significant concentrationand timedependent increases in apoptosis. In addition, ginsenosideRg5 induced significant concentrationdependent increases in the level of DNA damage compared with the negative control. Consistent with the comet assay data, the percentage of γH2AXpositive HeLa and MS751 cells also revealed that ginsenosideRg5 caused DNA doublestrands to break in a concentrationdependent manner. In conclusion, ginsenosideRg5 had marked genotoxic effects in the HeLa and MS751 cells and, thus, demonstrates potential as a genotoxic or cytotoxic drug for the treatment of cervical cancer.