2. Academic Validation
  3. Ginsenoside compound K targets DUSP5 to inhibit the malignant progression of glioblastoma via the ERK pathway

Ginsenoside compound K targets DUSP5 to inhibit the malignant progression of glioblastoma via the ERK pathway

  • Eur J Pharmacol. 2026 Mar 28:1019:178678. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2026.178678.
Fan Tang 1,  Hong Chen 2,  Shunda Wang 3,  Jingyue Pang 4,  Shengkai He 5,  Xijun Chen 6,  Yu Zhang 7,  Jianjing Yang 8,  Ying Zhang 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 8 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 9 Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang-US Joint Laboratory for Aging and Neurological Disease Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Neurological Disorder Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41759882 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2026.178678
Abstract

Glioblastoma constitutes a major subset of brain cancers and is characterized by a high recurrence rate and a low five-year survival rate. Ginsenoside compound K (GCK), a bioactive component derived from traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits anti-allergic, Anti-aging, and notable anti-tumor properties. Although previous studies have shown that GCK can inhibit glioblastoma, its precise role and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the effects of GCK on glioma initiation and progression, as well as its associated mechanisms. In vitro experiments revealed that GCK markedly inhibited the proliferation and migration of glioblastoma cells and significantly disrupted their cell cycle. In vivo, intragastric administration of GCK substantially reduced the growth rate of transplanted glioblastoma and prolonged the survival of nude mice. Furthermore, RNA Sequencing and Western blot analyses showed that GCK suppresses glioblastoma progression by dephosphorylating p-ERK1/2 via upregulation of DUSP5 expression. These findings highlight the critical role of GCK in glioblastoma inhibition and suggest its potential as a promising therapeutic agent for clinical treatment, underscoring the value of traditional Chinese medicine in modern oncology.

Keywords

DUSP5; ERK1/2; Ginsenoside compound K; Glioblastoma.

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