Page 22 - ebook

[E. Immunology] E-12

Ginsenoside Rg1 protects polymorphonuclear neutrophils

from suppression of immune function by mitochondrial

damage-associated molecular patterns

#
Mina Boo¹ , Hyo In Kim² , Woo Yong Park³, Gahee Song³, Ja Yeon Park³, Se Jin Jung³, Minji Choi¹,
#
Jae-Young Um³,⁴, Hyun Jeong Kwak¹*, Jinbong Park³,⁴*

¹Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Kyonggi University, Suwon 16227, Korea, ²Department of

Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School, Boston 02215, USA, ³Department of
Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea, ⁴Department of

Pharmacology and Basic Research Laboratory for Comorbidity Research, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee
University, Seoul 02447, Korea

Traumatic injuries affect the host immune system and thus increase the susceptibility to pneumonia. Nosocomial

pneumonia is the most common cause of mortality in patients who survive their initial trauma. The underlying
mechanisms that link traumatic injury to nosocomial infection remain unclear, but reduced polymorphonuclear

neutrophil (PMN) function by mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns (mtDAMPs) is known to play a
key role. Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) is a saponin found in Panax ginseng which is well-known by its anti-inflammatory

effect. We assayed the effects of Rg1 on PMN functions after exposure to an mtDAMP (the n-formyl peptide ND6)
to mimic a post-traumatic environment. The respiratory burst, formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and

chemotaxis were studied. Interaction of PMN-FPR1 with mtDAMPs induced suppression of respiratory burst, NET
formation and chemotactic function in response to chemokines. However, ND6-suppressed PMN function was

restored by pre-treatment of Rg1. Post-treatment of Rg1, following exposure to ND6, did not restore chemotaxis
but rescued PMN from suppression of respiratory burst and NET formation. Our study demonstrated that, in contrast

to the previous literature, Rg1 can enhance the responses of PMN when subjected to mtDAMPs and lose proper
immune functions.