Reversal effects of 20(R)– and 20(S)–ginsenoside-Rg3 on daunorubicin uptake in multidrug resistant leukemia cells studied in the single-cell biochip

Abstract

Multidrug resistance remains a major barrier to successful leukemia treatment, often caused by cancer cells actively pumping chemotherapy drugs out before they can be effective. This project investigates whether natural compounds derived from ginseng, known as ginsenosides, can help reverse this resistance and improve drug uptake in leukemia cells. 

Using a microfluidic single-cell biochip, we measured the accumulation of the chemotherapy drug daunorubicin in individual multidrug-resistant leukemia cells. Unlike conventional techniques that require large numbers of cells and large quantities of drugs, this platform allows drug uptake to be studied at the single-cell level using only microgram amounts of rare compounds. We compared the effects of four structurally related ginsenosides—two stereoisomers of ginsenoside Rg3 and their related aglycones—to determine how small differences in chemical structure influence drug resistance. 

Our results show that while several ginsenosides enhance daunorubicin accumulation, the two Rg3 stereoisomers differ significantly in their effectiveness, with one form showing greater ability to increase intracellular drug levels. These findings highlight the importance of molecular structure in modulating drug resistance mechanisms and demonstrate the power of microfluidic single-cell analysis for studying chemotherapy response. 

This presentation will showcase how single-cell technologies can reveal subtle but meaningful biological differences that are often hidden in population-based studies, offering new insights into strategies for overcoming drug resistance in cancer treatment.