Abstract
Despite previous reports of anti-aging effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG), the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study investigated possible mechanisms of KRG-mediated anti-aging effects in aged mice. KRG significantly inhibited thymic involution in old mice. Interestingly, KRG only increased protein expression, but not mRNA expression, of aging-related genes Lin28a, GDF-11, Sirt1, IL-2, and IL-17 in the thymocytes of old mice. KRG also modulated the population of some types of immune cells in old mice. KRG increased the population of regulatory T cells and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-expressing natural killer (NK) cells in the spleen of old mice, but serum levels of regulatory T cell-specific cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β were unaffected. Finally, KRG recovered mRNA expression of Lin28a, GDF-11, and Sirt1 artificially decreased by concanavalin A (Con A) in both thymocytes and splenocytes of old mice without cytotoxicity. These results suggest that KRG exerts anti-aging effects by preventing thymic involution, as well as modulating the expression of aging-related genes and immune cell subsets.
Highlights
Aging is a biological process characterized by progressive alteration of body tissues, an inability to functionally adapt, and the accumulation of deficits at various organs, leading to a decline in physiological function, age-related diseases, and death [1,2,3]
These results suggest that Korean red ginseng (KRG) plays an anti-aging role by inhibiting aging-related thymic involution
Mice is unclear, and and further study is needed to clarify. These results indicate that KRG, without cytotoxicity, can inhibit the decline of functionally active T cells and the accumulation of hyporesponsive T cells with age in the thymi and spleens of old mice by increasing the expression of aging-related genes that are expected to be downregulated during the aging process
Summary
Aging is a biological process characterized by progressive alteration of body tissues, an inability to functionally adapt, and the accumulation of deficits at various organs, leading to a decline in physiological function, age-related diseases, and death [1,2,3]. Aging involves gradual deterioration of the immune system in the body, known as immunosenescence, which is the result of inflammaging (an imbalance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses) [4,5], oxidative stress [6], remodeling of the immune system [7], apoptosis and upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines [7], and differential expression of aging-related genes [8]. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been demonstrated to have higher pharmacological activities and lower side effects compared to fresh ginseng [12].
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