Open Access

Cholesterol-dependent induction of dendrite formation by ginsenoside Rh2 in cultured melanoma cells

  • Authors:
    • Yong-Sheng Jiang
    • Zhe-Xiong Jin
    • Hisanori Umehara
    • Takahide Ota
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 1, 2010     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm_00000526
  • Pages: 787-793
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Abstract

Herbal remedies containing root extracts of Panax ginseng are commonly used for complementary or alternative therapies. Ginsenosides, the major components of root extracts, are responsible for ginseng's pharmacological and biological effects; however, their mechanisms of action are unclear. We examined whether membrane cholesterol was involved in the mechanism of action of ginsenoside Rh2 in cultured cells. In B16 melanoma cells, Rh2 (18.5 µM) induced dendrite formation within 2 h. Depletion of cholesterol by pretreatment with 10 mM methyl-β-cyclodextrin suppressed this effect of Rh2. Rh2 did not change the cellular cholesterol content and the immunofluorescence staining pattern of the lipid-raft-associated molecules, ganglioside GM3, Caveolin-1, Flotillin-1, and Flotillin-2, for up to 3 or 6 h. However, within 2 min of addition, Rh2 changed the fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) but not of 1-[4-(trimethylammonio)phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH). DPH is more sensitive than TMA-DPH to changes in the physical properties of membrane lipid bilayers regulated by cholesterol. These results suggest that Rh2 affects the physical properties of cholesterol-regulated membrane lipid bilayers and could lead to changes in cellular functions.

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December 2010
Volume 26 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Jiang Y, Jin Z, Umehara H and Ota T: Cholesterol-dependent induction of dendrite formation by ginsenoside Rh2 in cultured melanoma cells . Int J Mol Med 26: 787-793, 2010
APA
Jiang, Y., Jin, Z., Umehara, H., & Ota, T. (2010). Cholesterol-dependent induction of dendrite formation by ginsenoside Rh2 in cultured melanoma cells . International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 26, 787-793. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm_00000526
MLA
Jiang, Y., Jin, Z., Umehara, H., Ota, T."Cholesterol-dependent induction of dendrite formation by ginsenoside Rh2 in cultured melanoma cells ". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 26.6 (2010): 787-793.
Chicago
Jiang, Y., Jin, Z., Umehara, H., Ota, T."Cholesterol-dependent induction of dendrite formation by ginsenoside Rh2 in cultured melanoma cells ". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 26, no. 6 (2010): 787-793. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm_00000526