Ginsenoside Rg3 Inhibits the Growth of Osteosarcoma and Attenuates Metastasis through the Wnt/β-Catenin and EMT Signaling Pathway.

Xiaohan Mao,Tianyu Feng,Guowei Zuo,Yaqian Jin,Qi Yan,Dan Liu,Jing Yang,Yan Ye,Huini Yang,Yuxi Su,Hao Wang,Zhangxu Zhou,Jieru Yang

doi:10.1155/2020/6065124

Abstract

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone cancer. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3), which is extracted from the roots of the traditional Chinese herb Panax ginseng, plays a tumor suppression role in various malignant tumors. In the present study, we aimed at investigating the role of Rg3 in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS and at exploring the underlying mechanisms. Cell viability and proliferation were observed by MTT assay and crystal violet staining. The migration and invasion of cells were measured by wound-healing assay and Transwell method. Signaling pathway screening was investigated using luciferase reporter gene assay. qRT-PCR and western blot were performed to measure the expression of molecules involved in cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Results suggested that Rg3 could not only inhibit proliferation but also hamper the migration and invasion of OS. qRT-PCR and western blot demonstrated that a reduced level of MMP2/MMP7/MMP9 was induced after Rg3 treatment. In addition, the expression levels of proteins related to EMT and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were downregulated. In summary, our data revealed that Rg3 could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cells. This effect of Rg3 might be mediated by downregulating MMP2, MMP7, and MMP9 expression and suppressing EMT as well as the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Thus, Rg3 might be a potential agent for the treatment of OS.

Highlights

Osteosarcoma (OS), the most common type of bone cancer, is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in children and adolescents [1]
Rg3 Inhibits the Proliferation of OS Cells. e effect of Rg3 on the proliferation of OS cells was detected by crystal violet staining and MTT assay
When 143B and MG63 cells were treated with Rg3 (60 or 70 μmol/L) for 24 h, the migration rate decreased to 32.61% and 37.13%, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Osteosarcoma (OS), the most common type of bone cancer, is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in children and adolescents [1]. It represents an invasive malignancy, in which OS cells spread to other organs when uncontrolled [2]. The survival rate of patients with OS has not changed over the past 30 years, mainly due to metastasis and recurrence [4]. Traditional chemotherapy drugs have severe side effects and can cause resistance. To improve patient survival rate, an effective new drug for OS should be developed

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