Interferon-<i>γ</i>-Mediated Natural Killer Cell Activation by an Aqueous<i>Panax ginseng</i>Extract

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  • Kazuyoshi Takeda
    Division of Cell Biology, Biomedical Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
  • Ko Okumura
    Department of Biofunctional Microbiota, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan

Abstract

<jats:p><jats:italic>Panax ginseng</jats:italic>extracts are used in traditional herbal medicines, particularly in eastern Asia, but their effect on natural killer (NK) cell activity is not completely understood. This study aimed to examine the effects of<jats:italic>P. ginseng</jats:italic>extracts on the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. We orally administered<jats:italic>P. ginseng</jats:italic>extracts or ginsenosides to wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 (B6) and BALB/c mice and to B6 mice deficient in either recombination activating gene 2 (RAG-2) or interferon-<jats:italic>γ</jats:italic>(IFN-<jats:italic>γ</jats:italic>). We then tested the cytotoxic activity of NK cells (of spleen and liver mononuclear cells) against NK-sensitive YAC-1 cells. Oral administration of<jats:italic>P. ginseng</jats:italic>aqueous extract augmented the cytotoxicity of NK cells in WT B6 and BALB/c mice and in RAG-2-deficient B6 mice, but not in IFN-<jats:italic>γ</jats:italic>-deficient B6 mice. This effect was only observed with the aqueous extract of<jats:italic>P. ginseng</jats:italic>. Interestingly, the ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 did not augment NK cell cytotoxicity. These results demonstrated that the aqueous<jats:italic>P. ginseng</jats:italic>extract augmented NK cell activation<jats:italic>in vivo</jats:italic>via an IFN-<jats:italic>γ</jats:italic>-dependent pathway.</jats:p>

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