Upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 by ginsenoside Ro attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in macrophage cells

• Main Authors: Sokho Kim, Myung-Hoon Oh, Bum-Seok Kim, Won-Il Kim, Ho-Seong Cho, Byoung-Yong Park, Chul Park, Gee-Wook Shin, Jungkee Kwon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2015-10-01
• Series: Journal of Ginseng Research
• Subjects: ginsenoside Ro; heme oxygenase-1; inflammation; lipopolysaccharide; macrophage
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1226845315000330

Background: The beneficial effects of ginsenoside species have been well demonstrated in a number of studies. However, the function of ginsenoside Ro (GRo), an oleanane-type saponin, has not been sufficiently investigated. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of GRo in vitro using the Raw 264.7 mouse macrophage cell line treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to clarify the possible mechanism of GRo involving heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which itself plays a critical role in self-defense in the presence of inflammatory stress. Methods: Raw 264.7 cells were pretreated with GRo (up to 200μM) for 1 h before treatment with 1 μg/mL LPS, and both cell viability and inflammatory markers involving HO-1 were evaluated. Results: GRo significantly increased cell viability in a dose dependent manner following treatment with LPS, and decreased levels of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. GRo decreased inflammatory cytokines such as nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 induced by LPS. Moreover, GRo increased the expression of HO-1 in a dose dependent manner. Cotreatment of GRo with tin protoporphyrin IX, a selective inhibitor of HO-1, not only inhibited upregulation of HO-1 induced by GRo, but also reversed the anti-inflammatory effect of GRo in LPS treated Raw 264.7 cells. Conclusion: GRo induces anti-inflammatory effects following treatment with LPS via upregulation of HO-1.