Ginsenoside Rg5 Targets PRDX1 to Disrupt Redox Homeostasis and Induce Mitochondria-Dependent Apoptosis in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells.

ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with limited therapeutic options and poor clinical outcomes. Mounting evidence suggests that targeting cancer-specific metabolic and redox adaptations represents a promising therapeutic strategy. Peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1), a key antioxidant enzyme that is frequently overexpressed in HCC, enables tumor cells to neutralize excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby sustaining survival and conferring therapeutic resistance. In this study, using human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells as an in vitro model, we identify ginsenoside Rg5 (Rg5) as a previously unrecognized small-molecule inhibitor of PRDX1. Structural and functional analyses demonstrate that Rg5 directly binds to the Asn14

SUBMITTER: Ye HL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12899158 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature