Ginsenosides attenuate bioenergetics and morphology of mitochondria in cultured PC12 cells under the insult of amyloid beta-peptide

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the significant reasons for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Ginsenosides, natural molecules extracted from Panax ginseng, have been demonstrated to exert essential neuroprotective functions, which can ascribe to its anti-oxidative effect, enhancing central metabolism and improving mitochondrial function. However, a comprehensive analysis of cellular mitochondrial bioenergetics after ginsenoside treatment under A beta-oxidative stress is missing. Methods: The antioxidant activities of ginsenoside Rb-1 , Rd, Re, Rg(1) were compared by measuring the cell survival and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Next, the protective effects of ginsenosides of mitochondrial bioenergetics were examined by measuring oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in PC12 cells under A beta-oxidative stress with an extracellular flux analyzer. Meanwhile, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and mitochondrial dynamics were evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: Ginsenoside Rg(1) possessed the strongest anti-oxidative property, and which therefore provided the best protective function to PC12 cells under the A beta oxidative stress by increasing ATP production to 3 folds, spare capacity to 2 folds, maximal respiration to 2 folds and non-mitochondrial respiration to 1.5 folds, as compared to A beta cell model. Furthermore, ginsenoside Rg1 enhanced MMP and mitochondrial interconnectivity, and simultaneously reduced mitochondrial circularity. Conclusion: In the present study, these results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg(1) could be the best natural compound, as compared with other ginsenosides, by modulating the OCR of cultured PC12 cells during oxidative phosphorylation, in regulating MMP and in improving mitochondria dynamics under AB-induced oxidative stress. (C) 2020 The Korean Society of Ginseng. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

The study found that ginsenoside Rg(1) has the strongest antioxidant properties, significantly improving the performance of PC12 cells under AB oxidative stress, including increasing ATP production, enhancing spare capacity and maximal respiration, while regulating mitochondrial dynamics.