Differential expression of protein kinase C subtypes during ginsenoside Rh2-induced apoptosis in SK-N-BE(2) and C6Bu-1 cells

We examined the modulation of protein kinase C (PKC) subtypes during apoptosis induced by ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) in human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2) and rat glioma C6Bu-1 cells. Apoptosis induced by G-Rh2 in both cell lines was confirmed, as indicated by DNA fragmentation andin situ strand breaks, and characteristic morphological changes. During apoptosis induced by G-Rh2 in SK-N-BE(2) cells, PKC subtypes α, β and γ were progressively increased with prolonged treatment, whereas PKC δ increased transiently at 3 and 6 h and PKC ε was gradually down-regulated after 6 h following the treatment. On the other hand, PKC subtype ζ markedly increased at 24 h when maximal apoptosis was achieved. In C6Bu-1 cells, no significant changes in PKC subtypes α, γ, δ, ε and ζ were observed during apoptosis induced by G-Rh2. These results suggest the evidence for a possible role of PKC subtype in apoptosis induced by G-Rh2 in SK-N-BE(2) cells but not in C6Bu-1 cells, and raise the possibility that G-Rh2 may induce apoptosis via different pathways interacting with or without PKC in different cell types.