Mechanism of ginsenoside AD-1 improving pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the HIF-1α/ HSP/TGF-β1 signaling pathway and...

In China, approximately 450,000 cases of pneumoconiosis account for 90 % of all occupational diseases, with an annual increase that poses health threats and economic burdens worldwide. Previous research revealed that AD-1, an acidic hydrolysate derived from ginseng, had antagonistic effects on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF). In vitro experiments demonstrated that AD-1 inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling pathways in a TGF-β1-induced model of PF in A549 cells. In vivo, CT imaging, lung function assessments, H&E, and Masson's trichrome staining of mice revealed that AD-1 had a therapeutic effect on SiO₂-induced PF associated with pneumoconiosis. Additionally, AD-1 inhibited the progression of SiO₂-induced PF in these mice by suppressing EMT and HIF-1α expression. Collectively, these in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that the potential anti-PF mechanism of AD-1 is suggested to be associated with the regulation of the HIF-1 signaling pathway and the inhibition of EMT.