Neo-gintonin: production of high concentrations of lysophosphatidic acids from Korean Red ginseng marc

Background: Gintonin is a novel non-saponin glycolipoprotein complex that is derived from ginseng. Its functional components are lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs), which act as ligands for six G protein-coupled LPA receptor subtypes. Thus, gintonin exerts it activity through the LPA receptor signaling pathway. Previous studies have shown that crude gintonin derived from Korean Red ginseng marc (KRGM) contains approximately 0.2-0.3% LPAs. The aim of this study was to develop a method for concentrating the LPA content in KRGM-derived gintonin. Methods: First, we prepared a gintonin-enriched fraction from KRGM and removed its ethanol-insoluble portion. Then, the ethanol-soluble fraction was subjected to anion-exchange chromatography followed by gel filtration. Subsequently, the gintonin fractions were collected and freeze-dried. The presence of the glycolipoprotein complex was confirmed using SDS-PAGE and gel staining. The newly acquired product was designated neo-gintonin. Results: O highly water soluble. In primary cortical astrocytes treated with fluorescent neo-gintonin (prepared using Alexa Fluor 488 NHS ester), the fluorescent complex was found to bind to the cell membrane. This binding could be blocked using an LPA1/3 receptor antagonist. Neo-gintonin also stimulated nerve growth factor release from mouse primary cortical astrocytes. Conclusion: We developed a novel method for extracting neo-gintonin from KRGM and demonstrated that it exerted its physiological effects via LPA receptors. Thus, KRGM is a novel gintonin source and can be upcycled to prepare high LPA-yielding neo-gintonin.