20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2-induced apoptosis and protective autophagy in cervical cancer cells by inhibiting AMPK/mTOR pathway.

Shuai Bian, Meichen Liu, Song Yang, Shuyan Lu, Siming Wang, Xueyuan Bai, Daqing Zhao, Jiawen Wang

Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry 2021 Dec 22

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20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) has various biological activities including anticancer effects. However, no reports have investigated the connection between autophagy and apoptosis in HeLa cells treated with 20(S)-GRh2. In this study, we found that 20(S)-GRh2 suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis in HeLa cells by activating the intrinsic apoptotic pathway and causing mitochondrial dysfunction. 20(S)-GRh2 enhanced cell autophagy through promoting the phosphorylation of AMPK, depressed the phosphorylation of AKT, and suppressed mTOR activity. Furthermore, treatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) enhanced 20(S)-GRh2-induced apoptosis, while the autophagy inducer rapamycin promoted cell survival. Moreover, the apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK significantly restrained the apoptosis and autophagy induced by 20(S)-GRh2 in HeLa cells. We found that 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh2-induced protective autophagy promotes apoptosis of cervical cancer cells by inhibiting AMPK/mTOR pathway. © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry.

Citation

Shuai Bian, Meichen Liu, Song Yang, Shuyan Lu, Siming Wang, Xueyuan Bai, Daqing Zhao, Jiawen Wang. 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2-induced apoptosis and protective autophagy in cervical cancer cells by inhibiting AMPK/mTOR pathway. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry. 2021 Dec 22;86(1):92-103