Ginsenoside Rb3 pretreatment protects against OGD-Rep-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells.

<p>H9c2 cells were treated with ginsenoside Rb3 at different concentration (5 µM or 2 µM) followed by OGD-Rep. (A) cell images at 20×magnification under microscope. The arrow indicated the apoptotic cells. (B) Cell apoptosis was determined by Annexin V-PE/7-AAD assay. The cells stained with Annexin V-PE were apoptotic cells (the lower right corner), and the cells stained with 7-AAD were dead or in the late stages of apoptosis (the upper right corner). The graph represented the percentage of apoptotic and dead cells. Ginsenoside Rb3 decreased the cell apoptosis and death. (C) The fluorescent images after incubation with the DHE probe represented the superoxide levels (red). The graph was the quantitative measurement of the fluorescence. Ginsenoside Rb3 reduced the superoxide fluorescence. (D) The immunostaining image represented the formation of 3-NT (green). The graph represented the quantitative measurement of the formation of 3-NT. Ginsenoside Rb3 inhibited the 3-NT formation. The cells without OGD-Rep were used as control. All data were shown as the mean ± SD. ^#P<0.05 vs. group without OGD-Rep. *P<0.05 vs. group treated with OGD-Rep alone. n = 3–4.