Ginsenoside Rg1 from Panax ginseng enhances myoblast differentiation and myotube growth

• Published in: Journal of ginseng research Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 608 - 614
• Main Authors: Go, Ga-Yeon, Lee, Sang-Jin, Jo, Ayoung, Lee, Jaecheol, Seo, Dong-Wan, Kang, Jong-Sun, Kim, Si-Kwan, Kim, Su-Nam, Kim, Yong Kee, Bae, Gyu-Un
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Elsevier B.V 01.10.2017; 고려인삼학회; Elsevier
• Subjects: atrophy; cell differentiation; dimerization; fibroblasts; ginsenoside Rg1; ginsenosides; immunoblotting; immunocytochemistry; mammals; mitogen-activated protein kinase; muscle development; muscles; myoblast differentiation; myoblasts; myogenic conversion; myotube hypertrophy; myotubes; Panax ginseng; promyogenic signaling; rapamycin; Short Review; 기타의약학; promyogenic signaling; myogenic conversion; myoblast differentiation; ginsenoside Rg1; myotube hypertrophy
• ISSN: 1226-8453; 2093-4947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2017.05.006

Ginsenoside Rg1 belongs to protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides and has diverse pharmacological activities. In this report, we investigated whether Rg1 could upregulate muscular stem cell differentiation and muscle growth. C2C12 myoblasts, MyoD-transfected 10T1/2 embryonic fibroblasts, and HEK293T cells were treated with Rg1 and differentiated for 2 d, subjected to immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry, or immunoprecipitation. Rg1 activated promyogenic kinases, p38MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) and Akt signaling, that in turn promote the heterodimerization with MyoD and E proteins, resulting in enhancing myogenic differentiation. Through the activation of Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, Rg1 induced myotube growth and prevented dexamethasone-induced myotube atrophy. Furthermore, Rg1 increased MyoD-dependent myogenic conversion of fibroblast. Rg1 upregulates promyogenic kinases, especially Akt, resulting in improvement of myoblast differentiation and myotube growth.