American ginseng suppresses colitis through p53-mediated apoptosis of inflammatory cells.

ABSTRACT: Ulcerative colitis is a dynamic, chronic inflammatory condition associated with an increased colon cancer risk. Inflammatory cell apoptosis is a key mechanism regulating ulcerative colitis. American ginseng (AG) is a putative antioxidant that can suppress hyperactive immune cells. We have recently shown that AG can prevent and treat mouse colitis. Because p53 levels are elevated in inflammatory cells in both mouse and human colitis, we tested the hypothesis that AG protects from colitis by driving inflammatory cell apoptosis through a p53 mechanism. We used isogenic p53(+/+) and p53(-/-) inflammatory cell lines as well as primary CD4(+)/CD25(-) effector T cells from p53(+/+) and p53(-/-) mice to show that AG drives apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner. Moreover, we used a dextran sulfate so

SUBMITTER: Jin Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2833220 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature