# Research Progress on Anticancer Mechanism of Ginsenoside Regulating Tumor Microenvironment **Authors:** Tianjia Liu, Wei Li, Da Liu, Baiji Xue PMC · DOI: 10.3390/cimb48030329 · 2026-03-20 ## TL;DR This paper reviews how ginsenoside, a compound from ginseng, may help treat cancer by targeting the tumor microenvironment. ## Contribution The paper provides a new theoretical basis for using ginsenoside in cancer treatment by focusing on its effects on the tumor microenvironment. ## Key findings - Ginsenoside shows potential in overcoming chemotherapy limitations by targeting the tumor microenvironment. - Regulation of the tumor microenvironment by ginsenoside could lead to reduced tumor growth and improved treatment outcomes. - Ginsenoside's role in the tumor microenvironment highlights its potential as a novel therapeutic target. ## Abstract Cancer is currently one of the most significant health threats facing humanity in general. The clinical treatment of cancer is constrained by the current development of chemotherapy drug resistance, poor pharmacokinetics, off-target toxicity, and insufficient intratumoral accumulation. Although surgery combined with chemotherapy is now maturely used in clinical practice, the results are unsatisfactory, and the incidence and mortality of cancer continue to increase year by year with high side effects from treatment. Therefore, it is important to find more effective therapeutic targets against cancer. Alterations in the tumor microenvironment can lead to cellular gene mutations, which are an important cause of tumorigenesis, and therapeutic interventions targeting the tumor microenvironment have been one of the most interesting research areas in the oncology community in recent years. Ginseng is rich in antitumor-active ingredients and is used in the treatment of many cancer diseases. Ginsenoside is one of the main active components of ginseng. This paper reviews the antitumor mechanism of action of ginsenoside through regulating the tumor microenvironment, emphasizing the key role of ginsenoside in the tumor microenvironment and providing a new target and theoretical basis for ginsenoside in the treatment of cancer. ## Linked entities - **Chemicals:** ginsenoside (PubChem CID 3086007) - **Diseases:** cancer (MONDO:0004992) ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** HIF1A (hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 3091] {aka HIF-1-alpha, HIF-1A, HIF-1alpha, HIF1, HIF1-ALPHA, MOP1}, TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}, INSL5 (insulin like 5) [NCBI Gene 10022] {aka PRO182, UNQ156}, EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) [NCBI Gene 1956] {aka ERBB, ERBB1, ERRP, HER1, NISBD2, NNCIS}, IRF3 (interferon regulatory factor 3) [NCBI Gene 3661] {aka IIAE7}, BAX (BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator) [NCBI Gene 581] {aka BCL2L4}, IL2 (interleukin 2) [NCBI Gene 3558] {aka IL-2, TCGF, lymphokine}, CXCL10 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10) [NCBI Gene 3627] {aka C7, IFI10, INP10, IP-10, SCYB10, crg-2}, CASP1 (caspase 1) [NCBI Gene 834] {aka ICE, IL1BC, P45}, CDH2 (cadherin 2) [NCBI Gene 1000] {aka ACOGS, ADHD8, ARVD14, CD325, CDHN, CDw325}, FUT4 (fucosyltransferase 4) [NCBI Gene 2526] {aka CD15, ELFT, FCT3A, FUC-TIV, FUTIV, LeX}, STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) [NCBI Gene 6774] {aka ADMIO, ADMIO1, APRF, HIES}, RET (ret proto-oncogene) [NCBI Gene 5979] {aka CDHF12, CDHR16, HSCR1, MEN2A, MEN2B, MTC1}, CMPK1 (cytidine/uridine monophosphate kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 51727] {aka CK, CMK, CMPK, UMK, UMP-CMPK, UMPK}, SNAI1 (snail family transcriptional repressor 1) [NCBI Gene 6615] {aka SLUGH2, SNA, SNAH, SNAIL, SNAIL1, dJ710H13.1}, COX2 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit II) [NCBI Gene 4513] {aka COII, MTCO2}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 29126] {aka ADMIO5, B7-H, B7H1, PD-L1, PDCD1L1, PDCD1LG1}, C1orf198 (chromosome 1 open reading frame 198) [NCBI Gene 84886], SQLE (squalene epoxidase) [NCBI Gene 6713], OR52A1 (olfactory receptor family 52 subfamily A member 1) [NCBI Gene 23538] {aka HPFH1OR}, PPP1R3A (protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3A) [NCBI Gene 5506] {aka GM, PP1G, PPP1R3}, CD4 (CD4 molecule) [NCBI Gene 920] {aka CD4mut, IMD79, Leu-3, OKT4D, T4}, SMAD4 (SMAD family member 4) [NCBI Gene 4089] {aka DPC4, JIP, MADH4, MYHRS}, BCL2 (BCL2 apoptosis regulator) [NCBI Gene 596] {aka Bcl-2, PPP1R50}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, CBLIF (cobalamin binding intrinsic factor) [NCBI Gene 2694] {aka GIF, IF, IFMH, INF, TCN3}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, Cd34 (CD34 molecule) [NCBI Gene 305081], CNNM1 (cyclin and CBS domain divalent metal cation transport mediator 1) [NCBI Gene 26507] {aka ACDP1, CLP-1, SLC70A1}, TBK1 (TANK binding kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 29110] {aka AIARV, FTDALS4, IIAE8, NAK, T2K}, CASP3 (caspase 3) [NCBI Gene 836] {aka CPP32, CPP32B, SCA-1}, MMP2 (matrix metallopeptidase 2) [NCBI Gene 4313] {aka CLG4, CLG4A, MMP-2, MMP-II, MONA, TBE-1}, VIM (vimentin) [NCBI Gene 7431], Hif1a (hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 29560] {aka HIF1-alpha, MOP1}, CD8A (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 925] {aka CD8, CD8alpha, IMD116, Leu2, p32}, SLC2A1 (solute carrier family 2 member 1) [NCBI Gene 6513] {aka CSE, DYT17, DYT18, DYT9, EIG12, GLUT}, IL4 (interleukin 4) [NCBI Gene 3565] {aka BCGF-1, BCGF1, BSF-1, BSF1, IL-4}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, Slc2a3 (solute carrier family 2 member 3) [NCBI Gene 25551] {aka GLUT3}, FN1 (fibronectin 1) [NCBI Gene 2335] {aka CIG, ED-B, FINC, FN, FNZ, GFND}, VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A) [NCBI Gene 7422] {aka L-VEGF, MVCD1, VEGF, VPF}, ST3GAL4 (ST3 beta-galactoside alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase 4) [NCBI Gene 6484] {aka CGS23, NANTA3, SAT3, SIAT4, SIAT4C, ST-4}, Mmp2 (matrix metallopeptidase 2) [NCBI Gene 17390] {aka Clg4a, GelA, MMP-2}, CALM1 (calmodulin 1) [NCBI Gene 801] {aka CALML2, CAM2, CAM3, CAMB, CAMC, CAMI}, Il10 (interleukin 10) [NCBI Gene 16153] {aka CSIF, If2a, Il-10}, Pecam1 (platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1) [NCBI Gene 18613] {aka Cd31, PECAM-1, Pecam}, RBL2 (RB transcriptional corepressor like 2) [NCBI Gene 5934] {aka BRUWAG, P130, Rb2}, SLC2A4 (solute carrier family 2 member 4) [NCBI Gene 6517] {aka GLUT4}, Slc2a4 (solute carrier family 2 member 4) [NCBI Gene 25139] {aka Glut4}, SLC2A3 (solute carrier family 2 member 3) [NCBI Gene 6515] {aka GLUT3}, IL10 (interleukin 10) [NCBI Gene 3586] {aka CSIF, GVHDS, IL-10, IL10A, TGIF}, ARG1 (arginase 1) [NCBI Gene 383], Vegfa (vascular endothelial growth factor A) [NCBI Gene 22339] {aka L-VEGF, Vegf, Vpf}, CDH1 (cadherin 1) [NCBI Gene 999] {aka Arc-1, BCDS1, CD324, CDHE, ECAD, LCAM}, CD34 (CD34 molecule) [NCBI Gene 947], PECAM1 (platelet and endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1) [NCBI Gene 5175] {aka CD31, CD31/EndoCAM, GPIIA', PECA1, PECAM-1, endoCAM}, PIK3CB (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta) [NCBI Gene 5291] {aka P110BETA, PI3K, PI3KBETA, PIK3C1}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, Mmp9 (matrix metallopeptidase 9) [NCBI Gene 17395] {aka B/MMP9, Clg4b, Gel B, MMP-9, pro-MMP-9}, Vegfa (vascular endothelial growth factor A) [NCBI Gene 83785] {aka VEGF-A, VEGF111, VEGF164, VPF, Vegf} - **Diseases:** neurodegenerative diseases (MESH:D019636), Colorectal cancer (MESH:D015179), head and neck cancers (MESH:D006258), HCC (MESH:D006528), MDSCs (MESH:D001855), gastric cancer (MESH:D013274), NSCLC (MESH:D002289), ATC (MESH:D001260), cytotoxicity (MESH:D064420), TNBC (MESH:D064726), tumorigenesis (MESH:D063646), deaths (MESH:D003643), lung cancer (MESH:D008175), prostate cancer (MESH:D011471), Tumor metastasis (MESH:D009362), acute leukemia (MESH:D015470), liver tumors (MESH:D008113), injury to (MESH:D014947), keloid (MESH:D007627), inflammatory (MESH:D007249), ovarian cancer (MESH:D010051), osteosarcoma (MESH:D012516), gastric precancerous lesions (MESH:D011230), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (MESH:D054198), lymphoma (MESH:D008223), PTC (MESH:D000077273), Alzheimer's disease (MESH:D000544), esophageal and renal cell carcinomas (MESH:D002292), necrosis (MESH:D009336), brain tumors (MESH:D001932), hypoxic (MESH:D002534), breast cancer (MESH:D001943), hepatic dysfunction (MESH:D008107), lymph node metastasis (MESH:D008207), CT26 cancer (MESH:D009369), GBM (MESH:D005909), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), glioma (MESH:D005910), melanoma (MESH:D008545), interstitial thyroid cancer (MESH:D013964), T-ALL (MESH:D054218) - **Chemicals:** polysaccharide (MESH:D011134), aglycone (MESH:C458179), Cisplatin (MESH:D002945), Lipid (MESH:D008055), K (MESH:D011188), 20(R)-Ginsenoside Rg3 (MESH:C097367), 5-FU (MESH:D005472), hyaluronic acid (MESH:D006820), DTX (MESH:D000077143), oxaliplatin (MESH:D000077150), GS-Rb1 (MESH:C442759), Ginsenoside (MESH:D036145), lactic acid (MESH:D019344), PTX (MESH:D017239), C (MESH:D002244), 20(R)-Rg3 (-), Cholesterol (MESH:D002784), Glucose (MESH:D005947), sugar (MESH:D000073893), water (MESH:D014867), Ginsenoside Rh3 (MESH:C055306), ATP (MESH:D000255), CTX (MESH:D003520), flavonoids (MESH:D005419), phospholipids (MESH:D010743), naringenin (MESH:C005273), temozolomide (MESH:D000077204), PPD (MESH:C062916), GS-Rh2 (MESH:C055305), polyethylene glycol (MESH:D011092), CK (MESH:C112772), MnO2 (MESH:C016552), Rh1 (MESH:C117776), PPT (MESH:C081552), ROS (MESH:D017382), saponins (MESH:D012503) - **Species:** Panax ginseng (Asiatic ginseng, species) [taxon 4054], Nicotiana tabacum (American tobacco, species) [taxon 4097], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116] - **Cell lines:** C643 — Homo sapiens (Human), Thyroid gland anaplastic carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_5969), 3AO — Homo sapiens (Human), Ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_C6VI), CT-26 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Mouse colon adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_7254), TPC-1 — Homo sapiens (Human), Thyroid gland papillary carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_6298), H358 — Homo sapiens (Human), Minimally invasive lung adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_1559), 4T1 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Malignant neoplasms of the mouse mammary gland, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0125), LNCaP — Homo sapiens (Human), Prostate carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0395), BCPAP — Homo sapiens (Human), Poorly differentiated thyroid gland carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0153), HepG2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Hepatoblastoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0027), H1299 — Homo sapiens (Human), Lung large cell carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0060), MDA-MB-MD-231 — Homo sapiens (Human), Breast adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0062), DU145 — Homo sapiens (Human), Prostate carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0105), HCT116 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0291), MCF-7 — Homo sapiens (Human), Invasive breast carcinoma of no special type, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0031), MCF7/T — Homo sapiens (Human), Invasive breast carcinoma of no special type, Cancer cell line (CVCL_JX64), B16-F10 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Mouse melanoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0159), Caco-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0025), A549 — Homo sapiens (Human), Lung adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0023), SKOV-3 — Homo sapiens (Human), Ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0532), PC3 — Homo sapiens (Human), Prostate carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0035) ## Figures 2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13025741/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13025741