Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cardiotoxicity

(1) Background: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a frontline chemotherapeutic, but its side-effects from oxidative stress, leading to cardiotoxicity, pose significant challenges to its clinical use. We recently discovered a novel family of proteolysis-resistant, cystine-dense, and cell-penetrating microproteins...

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Main Authors: Bamaprasad Dutta, Shining Loo, Antony Kam, Xiaoliang Wang, Na Wei, Kathy Qian Luo, Chuan-Fa Liu, James P. Tam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Antioxidants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/4/493
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author Bamaprasad Dutta
Shining Loo
Antony Kam
Xiaoliang Wang
Na Wei
Kathy Qian Luo
Chuan-Fa Liu
James P. Tam
author_facet Bamaprasad Dutta
Shining Loo
Antony Kam
Xiaoliang Wang
Na Wei
Kathy Qian Luo
Chuan-Fa Liu
James P. Tam
author_sort Bamaprasad Dutta
collection DOAJ
description (1) Background: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a frontline chemotherapeutic, but its side-effects from oxidative stress, leading to cardiotoxicity, pose significant challenges to its clinical use. We recently discovered a novel family of proteolysis-resistant, cystine-dense, and cell-penetrating microproteins from <i>Panax ginseng</i> that we term ginsentides. Ginsentides, such as the 31-residue TP1, coordinate multiple biological systems to prevent vascular dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by internal and external stressors. (2) Methods: We assessed the protective effects of ginsentide TP1 on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity using both in vitro functional studies on H9c2 cardiomyocytes and in vivo animal models by zebrafish and ICR mouse models. In these models, we examined oxidative stress, apoptosis, intracellular calcium levels, mitochondrial function, inflammatory responses, and cardiac function. (3) Results: We show that ginsentide TP1 protects against DOX-induced cytotoxicity in the mitochondria-rich H9c2 cardiomyocytes and reduces myocardial injury in zebrafish and mice by mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation, calcium, and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as apoptosis-mediated cell death. Importantly, TP1 preserves cellular homeostasis without compromising the anticancer potency of DOX in breast cancer cells. (4) Conclusions: our findings highlight a specific antioxidative function of ginsentide TP1 in managing DOX-induced cardiotoxicity during cancer treatment and provide a promising lead for developing cardioprotective peptides and microproteins against oxidative stress.
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spelling doaj-art-9ba13b38069a4be5837b3f5f3ba4a8d32025-08-20T02:28:16ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212025-04-0114449310.3390/antiox14040493Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and CardiotoxicityBamaprasad Dutta0Shining Loo1Antony Kam2Xiaoliang Wang3Na Wei4Kathy Qian Luo5Chuan-Fa Liu6James P. Tam7School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, SingaporeSchool of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, SingaporeSchool of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, SingaporeSchool of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, SingaporeSchool of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637457, SingaporeFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, ChinaSchool of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, SingaporeSchool of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore(1) Background: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a frontline chemotherapeutic, but its side-effects from oxidative stress, leading to cardiotoxicity, pose significant challenges to its clinical use. We recently discovered a novel family of proteolysis-resistant, cystine-dense, and cell-penetrating microproteins from <i>Panax ginseng</i> that we term ginsentides. Ginsentides, such as the 31-residue TP1, coordinate multiple biological systems to prevent vascular dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by internal and external stressors. (2) Methods: We assessed the protective effects of ginsentide TP1 on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity using both in vitro functional studies on H9c2 cardiomyocytes and in vivo animal models by zebrafish and ICR mouse models. In these models, we examined oxidative stress, apoptosis, intracellular calcium levels, mitochondrial function, inflammatory responses, and cardiac function. (3) Results: We show that ginsentide TP1 protects against DOX-induced cytotoxicity in the mitochondria-rich H9c2 cardiomyocytes and reduces myocardial injury in zebrafish and mice by mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation, calcium, and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as apoptosis-mediated cell death. Importantly, TP1 preserves cellular homeostasis without compromising the anticancer potency of DOX in breast cancer cells. (4) Conclusions: our findings highlight a specific antioxidative function of ginsentide TP1 in managing DOX-induced cardiotoxicity during cancer treatment and provide a promising lead for developing cardioprotective peptides and microproteins against oxidative stress.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/4/493ginsentidecardioprotective adjuvantdoxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicityoxidative stressantioxidationcysteine-rich peptide
spellingShingle Bamaprasad Dutta
Shining Loo
Antony Kam
Xiaoliang Wang
Na Wei
Kathy Qian Luo
Chuan-Fa Liu
James P. Tam
Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cardiotoxicity
Antioxidants
ginsentide
cardioprotective adjuvant
doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity
oxidative stress
antioxidation
cysteine-rich peptide
title Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cardiotoxicity
title_full Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cardiotoxicity
title_fullStr Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cardiotoxicity
title_full_unstemmed Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cardiotoxicity
title_short Cell-Permeable Microprotein from Panax Ginseng Protects Against Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Cardiotoxicity
title_sort cell permeable microprotein from panax ginseng protects against doxorubicin induced oxidative stress and cardiotoxicity
topic ginsentide
cardioprotective adjuvant
doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity
oxidative stress
antioxidation
cysteine-rich peptide
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/4/493
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