Protective effects of Korean red ginseng against radiation-induced apoptosis in human HaCaT keratinocytes.

Abstract

Radiation-induced oral mucositis is a dose-limiting toxic side effect for

patients with head and neck cancer. Numerous attempts at improving

radiation-induced oral mucositis have not produced a qualified treatment. Ginseng

polysaccharide has multiple immunoprotective effects. Our aim was to investigate

the effectiveness of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on radiation-induced damage in the

human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT and in an in vivo zebrafish model. Radiation

inhibited HaCaT cell proliferation and migration in a cell viability assay and

wound healing assay, respectively. KRG protected against these effects. KRG

attenuated the radiation-induced embryotoxicity in the zebrafish model.

Irradiation of HaCaT cells caused apoptosis and changes in mitochondrial membrane

potential (MMP). KRG inhibited the radiation-induced apoptosis and intracellular

generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and stabilized the radiation-induced

loss of MMP. Western blots revealed KRG-mediated reduced expression of ataxia

telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM), p53, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 and

cleaved caspase-3, compared with their significant increase after radiation

treatment. The collective results suggest that KRG protects HaCaT cells by

blocking ROS generation, inhibiting changes in MMP, and inhibiting the caspase,

ATM, p38 and JNK pathways.