[The intracellular signaling pathway initiated by ginsenosides in hematopoietic cells]

Abstract

Objective: To investigate that ginsenosides (GS) promotes proliferation of hematopoietic cells by virtue of the intracellular signaling pathway.

Methods: Three human megakaryocytic cell lines and Northern blot analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), antibody gel supershift assay and UV-radiation cross-linking were used.

Results: After treatment with GS, GATA-2 mRNA levels in CHRH-288, Meg-01 and MO7e cells were increased by 1.84-, 2.43- and 1.52-fold, respectively, while GATA-1 mRNA levels remained as low as pretreatment. GATA binding activities were elevated in all the three GS treated cell lines. The GATA binding complex appeared as a band with an approximate molecular weight of 50,000 corresponding to the size of GATA-2 protein.

Conclusions: The intracellular signaling pathway initiated by GS was involved in transcription factor GATA-2. GATA-2 might play the key role in the GS induced upregulation of megakaryopoiesis.