Ginsenoside-Rg5 suppresses cyclin E-dependent protein kinase activity via up-regulating p21Cip/WAF1 and down-regulating cyclin E in SK-HEP-1 cells.

In the present study, we report that ginsenoside-Rg5 (G-Rg5), a newly discovered diol-containing ginsenoside, blocks the cell cycle of human hepatoma SK-HEP-1 cells via the down-regulation of cyclin E-dependent kinase activity. The results from flow cytometric analyses show that G-Rg5 arrests the cell cycle of SK-HEP-1 cells at the Gl/S transition phase. The cyclin E-dependent kinase activity that has been immunoprecipitated with cyclin E-specific antibody is down-regulated in response to G-Rg5. The results from immunoblottings show that the down-regulation of cyclin E-dependent kinase activity is related to increased protein levels of p21Cip/WAF1 and to decreased protein levels of cyclin E, CDK2, and CDC25A. Collectively, these data suggest that G-Rg5 blocks cell cycle of SK-HEP-1 cells at the Gl/S transition phase by down-regulating cyclin E-dependent kinase activity and that the down-regulation of cyclin E-dependent kinase activity is caused mainly by induced CDK2 inhibitor, p21Cip/WAF1 and decreased levels of cyclin E.