ABSTRACT
@# Objective: To investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rg3 combined with TRAIL on the apoptosis of lung cancer H358 cells and its possible mechanism. Methods: After the completion of cell culture, H538 cells were treated with TRAIL (0, 50, 100, 200 ng/ ml ) or Rg3 (0, 25, 50, 100 μmol/L) for 48 h, and the cells were grouped according to different treatments, namely control group, 50 μmol/LRg3 group, 100 ng/ml TRAILgroup and 50 μmol/LRg3+100 ng/ml TRAILgroup. The effects of Rg3 and/or TRAILon the proliferation of H358 cells were detected by MTT assay. The effects of Rg3 and/or TRAIL on the morphological changes of H358 cells were observed by DAPI staining. Theapoptosis of H358 cells in each group was detected by flow cytometry. The effects of Rg3 and/or TRAIL on the expressions of death receptor 5 (DR5) and caspase-8 in H358 cells were detected by WB. Results: Compared with the other groups, the proliferation of lung cancer H358 cells was significantly inhibited, while the apoptosis was significantly elevated in the 50 μmol/LRg3+100 ng/ml TRAILgroup (P<0.05).After color developing, cells in 50 μmol/LRg3+100 ng/ml TRAILgroup had nuclear shrinkage, chromatin condensation, increased fluorescence intensity, and late morphological changes such as saturation fragmentation. Compared with the other groups, the expression levels of DR5 and caspase-3 ,8 in the cells of 50 μmol/L Rg3+100 ng/ml TRAIL group were significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rg3 combined with TRAIL can synergistically inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of lung cancer H358 cells. The mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of DR5 and caspase-8 by ginsenoside Rg3.