Ginsenosides and Ginseng Phenolic Acids Relieve Ionizing Radiation-Induced Pyroptosis and Apoptosis in Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Abstract

Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) during procedures such as abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy results in severe intestinal injury. In the current study, we demonstrated that a lethal dose of IR triggered intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis and pyroptosis via Caspase-3 cleavage. The ginseng active ingredients, ginsenosides (GS) and ginseng phenolic acids (GPA), significantly inhibited IR-induced apoptosis in IEC-6 cells. GS and GPA also reduced Caspase-3 and GSDME cleavage and HMGB1 and LDH release, thus inhibiting pyroptosis after IR. Moreover, GS- or GPA-treated IEC-6 cells showed reduced reactive oxygen species and DNA damage accumulation. These results suggest that IR induces apoptosis and GSDME-dependent pyroptosis through Caspase-3 activation, which can be relieved by GS and GPA, thus supporting the potential use of GS and GPA in the prevention and treatment of IR-induced intestinal injury.