Sung Ha Lim, Hee-Seok Seo, Hyun Kang, Seung-Phil Hong
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Senescent cells progressively accumulate within tissues and induce further senescence in neighboring cells through the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), thereby contributing to tissue dysfunction and aging. While senolytics selectively eliminate senescent cells, senomorphics modulate SASP without inducing cell death. Although red ginseng has been studied for anti-photoaging properties, its role in directly modulating SASP-driven keratinocyte senescence and paracrine aging signaling remains insufficiently defined. This study aimed to investigate whether Korean red ginseng-derived components (RGCs) exert senolytic or senomorphic activity in ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced senescent primary human keratinocytes.
Methods
Cellular senescence was induced by repeated UVB irradiation in primary human keratinocytes. A transwell co-culture system was employed to evaluate SASP-mediated paracrine effects on neighboring keratinocytes. Three RGC fractions were examined. Senescence markers (p16 and p21), SASP factors (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α), and differentiation/proliferation markers were analyzed. Representative major ginsenosides (Rb1, Rg1, Rg3, Rc) and stress signaling pathways (MAPK/JNK and AKT) were also evaluated.
Results
RGCs did not exhibit significant senolytic activity or apoptosis induction. Instead, they demonstrated pronounced senomorphic effects by attenuating UVB-induced upregulation of p16, p21, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β. RGCs enhanced keratinocyte proliferation and partially restored early-to-intermediate differentiation markers. In the co-culture model, RGCs mitigated SASP-mediated paracrine effects, reducing senescence and inflammatory signaling in adjacent keratinocytes. These effects were associated with modulation of stress-responsive MAPK/JNK pathways and were partially recapitulated by ginsenosides.
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrate that RGCs function predominantly as senomorphic modulators in UVB-induced keratinocyte senescence, attenuating SASP propagation and stress signaling without inducing cell death.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Ginseng Research (JGR) is an official, open access journal of the Korean Society of Ginseng and is the only international journal publishing scholarly reports on ginseng research in the world. The journal is a bimonthly peer-reviewed publication featuring high-quality studies related to basic, pre-clinical, and clinical researches on ginseng to reflect recent progresses in ginseng research.
JGR publishes papers, either experimental or theoretical, that advance our understanding of ginseng science, including plant sciences, biology, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, veterinary medicine, biochemistry, manufacture, and clinical study of ginseng since 1976. It also includes the new paradigm of integrative research, covering alternative medicinal approaches. Article types considered for publication include review articles, original research articles, and brief reports.
JGR helps researchers to understand mechanisms for traditional efficacy of ginseng and to put their clinical evidence together. It provides balanced information on basic science and clinical applications to researchers, manufacturers, practitioners, teachers, scholars, and medical doctors.