1. Academic Validation
  2. 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 promotes myoblast differentiation and protects against myotube atrophy via regulation of the Akt/mTOR/FoxO3 pathway

20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 promotes myoblast differentiation and protects against myotube atrophy via regulation of the Akt/mTOR/FoxO3 pathway

  • Biochem Pharmacol. 2020 Oct;180:114145. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114145.
Manying Wang 1 Jixiang Ren 2 Xuenan Chen 1 Jianzeng Liu 3 Xiaohao Xu 4 Xiangyan Li 5 Daqing Zhao 6 Liwei Sun 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1478 Gongnong Street, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China; Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1035 Boshuo Road, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China.
  • 2 Center of Preventive Treatment of Diseases, the Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1478 Gongnong Street, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China.
  • 3 Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1035 Boshuo Road, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China.
  • 4 Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1478 Gongnong Street, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China.
  • 5 Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1035 Boshuo Road, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China; Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of BioMacromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1035 Boshuo Road, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China.
  • 6 Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1035 Boshuo Road, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China; Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, PR China. Electronic address: zhaodaqing1963@163.com.
  • 7 Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, 1478 Gongnong Street, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, PR China; Key Laboratory of Active Substances and Biological Mechanisms of Ginseng Efficacy, Ministry of Education, PR China. Electronic address: sunnylilwei@163.com.
Abstract

We previously found that 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (S-Rg3) promotes myoblast differentiation via an unknown mechanism. Here we measured levels of Myosin heavy chain (MHC) and myogenin, markers of myoblast differentiation, using Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Notably, S-Rg3 treatment of C2C12 myoblasts led to increased muscle differentiation and protection from muscle atrophy in a dexamethasone (DEX)-treated C2C12 myotube-based muscle atrophy model. This effect was likely caused by S-Rg3 treatment-induced promotion of Akt/mTOR phosphorylation and inhibition of FoxO3 nuclear transcription. Additionally, S-Rg3 treatment also led to increased fruit fly climbing distances (Drosophila melanogaster) and prevented muscle atrophy in aged fruit flies. Our study provides a mechanistic framework for understanding how S-Rg3 enhances myoblast differentiation and inhibits myotube atrophy through activation of the Akt/mTOR/FoxO3 signaling pathway, as demonstrated in vitro in C2C12 cells and in vivo in fruit flies.

Keywords

20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3; Akt/mTOR/FoxO3; Myoblast differentiation; Myotube atrophy.

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