Ginsenoside Rb1 Ameliorates Autophagy of Hypoxia Cardiomyocytes from Neonatal Rats via AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway

Objective To investigate whether ginsenoside-Rb1 (Gs-Rb1) improves the CoCl-induced autophagy of cardiomyocytes via upregulation of adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. Methods Ventricles from 1- to 3-day-old Wistar rats were sequentially digested, separated and incubated in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum for 3 days followed by synchronization. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were randomly divided into 7 groups: control group (normal level oxygen), hypoxia group (500 μmol/L CoCl 2 ), Gs-Rb1 group (200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl 2 ), Ara A group (500 μmol/L Ara A + 500 μmol/L CoCl 2 ), Ara A+ Gs-Rb1 group (500 μmol/L Ara A + 200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl 2 ), AICAR group [1 mmol/L 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) + 500 μmol/L CoCl 2 ], and AICAR+Gs-Rb1 group (1 mmol/L AICAR + 200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl 2 ). Cells were treated for 12 h and cell viability was determined by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). AMPK activity was assessed by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) ELISA assay. The protein expressions of Atg4B, Atg5, Atg6, Atg7, microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), P62, and active-cathepsin B were measured by Western blot. Results Gs-Rb1 significantly improved the cell viability of hypoxia cardiomyocytes ( P <0.01). However, the viability of hypoxia-treated cardiomyocytes was significantly inhibited by Ara A ( P <0.01). Gs-Rb1 increased the AMPK activity of hypoxia-treated cardiomyocytes. The AMPK activity of hypoxia-treated cadiomyocytes was inhibited by Ara A ( P <0.01) and was not affected by AICAR =0.983). Gs-Rb1 up-regulated Atg4B, Atg5, Beclin-1, Atg7, LC3B II, the LC3B II/I ratio and cathepsin B activity of hypoxia cardiomyocytes ( P <0.05), each of these protein levels was significantly enhanced by Ara A (all P <0.01), but was not affected by AICAR (all P >0.05). Gs-Rb1 significantly down-regulated P62 levels of hypoxic cardiomyocytes ( P <0.05). The P62 levels of hypoxic cardiomyocytes were inhibited by Ara A ( P <0.05) and were not affected by AICAR ( P =0.871). Conclusion Gs-Rb1 may improve the viability of hypoxia cardiomyocytes by ameliorating cell autophagy via the upregulation of AMPK pathway.