Ginsenoside compound K inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of Eca109 cell via VEGF-A/Pi3k/Akt pathway

Ginsenoside CK inhibits EMT and overcomes oxaliplatin resistance in gastric cancer by targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality, with oxaliplatin (L-OHP) resistance posing a major therapeutic challenge. Ginsenosides have shown potential in addressing chemoresistance.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate whether ginsenoside Compound K (CK), a derivative of protopanaxadiol ginsenosides, could overcome L-OHP resistance in gastric cancer cells.

METHODS

The anti-cancer effects of CK were investigated using L-OHP-resistant HGC27/L cells through comprehensive in vitro experiments. Cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and colony formation were evaluated under CK treatment alone or combined with L-OHP. Drug efflux was specifically assessed using Rhodamine 123 staining. To understand the molecular mechanism, network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses were employed, which identified the PI3K/Akt pathway as a crucial target of CK. This finding was further validated through Western blotting and RT-qPCR analyses, focusing on PI3K/Akt signaling components and EMT markers. Finally, drug-resistant gastric cancer xenograft models were established to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of CK alone and in combination with L-OHP in vivo.

RESULTS

CK effectively suppressed cell viability, migration, invasion, drug efflux, and colony formation while enhancing apoptosis in resistant cells. Mechanistically, CK inhibited the PI3K/Akt pathway, leading to reduced P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and EMT reversal. These effects were confirmed using PI3K pathway modulators. In xenograft models, CK significantly inhibited tumor growth and reduced PI3K/Akt activity, P-gp expression, and EMT markers.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that CK overcomes L-OHP resistance through PI3K/Akt pathway inhibition and EMT prevention, suggesting that combining CK with L-OHP may improve outcomes in chemoresistant gastric cancer patients.

Multifunctional Liposomes Co-Modified with Ginsenoside Compound K and Hyaluronic Acid for Tumor-Targeted Therapy

Liposomes show promise for anti-cancer drug delivery and tumor-targeted therapy. However, complex tumor microenvironments and the performance limitations of traditional liposomes restrict clinical translation. Hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified nanoliposomes effectively target CD44-overexpressing tumor cells. Combination therapy enhances treatment efficacy and delays drug resistance. Here, we developed paclitaxel (PTX) liposomes co-modified with ginsenoside compound K (CK) and HA using film dispersion. Compared to cholesterol (Ch), CK substantially improved encapsulation efficiency and stability. In vitro release studies revealed pH-responsive behavior, with slower release at pH 7.4 versus faster release at pH 5. In vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that replacing Ch with CK in modified liposomes considerably decreased HCT-116 cell viability. Furthermore, flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy showed a higher cellular uptake of PTX-CK-Lip-HA in CD44-high cells, reflected in the lower half maximal inhibitory concentrations. Overall, CK/HA-modified liposomes represent an innovative, targeted delivery system for enhanced tumor therapy via pH-triggered drug release and CD44 binding.

Mechanisms of esophageal cancer metastasis and treatment progress

Esophageal cancer is a prevalent tumor of the digestive tract worldwide. The detection rate of early-stage esophageal cancer is very low, and most patients are diagnosed with metastasis. Metastasis of esophageal cancer mainly includes direct diffusion metastasis, hematogenous metastasis, and lymphatic metastasis. This article reviews the metabolic process of esophageal cancer metastasis and the mechanisms by which M2 macrophages, CAF, regulatory T cells, and their released cytokines, including chemokines, interleukins, and growth factors, form an immune barrier to the anti-tumor immune response mediated by CD8+ T cells, impeding their ability to kill tumor cells during tumor immune escape. The effect of Ferroptosis on the metastasis of esophageal cancer is briefly mentioned. Moreover, the paper also summarizes common drugs and research directions in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy for advanced metastatic esophageal cancer. This review aims to serve as a foundation for further investigations into the mechanism and management of esophageal cancer metastasis.

Mechanism of Wuyao-Ginseng Medicine Pair in the Prevention and Treatment of Diarrhea-Type Irritable Bowel Syndrome Based on Gene Expression Omnibus Chip Data

Based on a Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) chip analysis combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, in this study we explored the molecular targets and mechanism of the wuyao-ginseng medicine pair in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) was used to search for the chemical constituents and targets of wuyao and ginseng. The UniProt database was used to search for the target gene name. In the GEO database, IBS was searched to obtain GSE36701 and GSE14841 microarray data. We imported the intersection targets into the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (Go) pathway analyses were performed using the Metascape database. A total of 30 active ingredients of wuyao-ginseng, 171 drug targets, 1257 IBS differentially expressed genes, and 20 drug-disease intersection genes were obtained from the GEO data. We screened the results and obtained the core active ingredients beta-sitosterol, DMPEC, Boldine, etc.; the core targets NCOA2, EGFR, VEGFA, etc.; and the key pathways P13K-Akt, MAPK, etc. The wuyao-ginseng medicine pair may be involved in inflammation-related signaling pathways, acting on disease targets such as NCOA2, EGFR, and VEGFA as well as pathways such as P13K-Akt and MAPK, thereby playing a key role in the prevention and treatment of IBS-D.