Our results also

showed that REKRG not only stimulates eNOS phosphorylation and NO production but also decreases VCAM-1 and COX-2 expression. These findings suggest an important role for Rg3-enriched ginseng extract in vascular protection. In conclusion, this study showed that the stimulatory effect of REKRG administration on vascular endothelial NO production through phosphorylation of eNOS is likely to have relevance for not only inhibition of VCAM-1 and COX-2 expression but also decreased aortic intima-media thickness, which improves cardiovascular function and prevents atherosclerosis. selleck All authors declare no conflicts of interest. This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the

Korean Government (MEST; no. 2011-0023858). The English in this document has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English. For a certificate, please see: http://www.textcheck.com/certificate/H2CZjI. “
“Unlike other ginsenosides with various pharmacological activities (e.g., ginsenoside Rg3) [1] and [2], ginsenoside Rp1 (G-Rp1) is a ginseng saponin Selleckchem LY294002 artificially prepared from crude ginsenosides (e.g., G-Rg5 and G-Rk1) obtained from Panax ginseng Meyer by reduction and hydrogenation [3]. The phytochemical features of G-Rp1 include its chemical stability, and various pharmacological approaches have suggested its value as a biologically

active ginsenoside. It has been reported that G-Rp1 is able to prevent skin papillomagenesis induced by 7,12-dimehtylbenz(a) anthracene [4], suppress the proliferation and metastatic processes of cancer cells [5], and reverse multidrug resistance in tumor cells [6]. In addition, G-Rp1 has also been found to block interleukin-1 production and diminish platelet activation and thrombus formation [7] and [8]. It has also been revealed that G-Rp1 blocks pathways linked to multidrug resistance gene-1 (MRD-1), Src, Akt, and I-kappaB kinase (IKK) in apoptotic and inflammatory processes [6], [9] and [10]. Although these experiments have explored the potential mechanisms underlying the Fossariinae anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities of G-Rp1, the proteins responsible for these pharmacological actions remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we used proteomic analysis to investigate the effect of G-Rp1 on the protein profiles and expression levels in several cancer cells to understand the mechanisms underlying its anticancer activity. G-Rp1 (Fig. 1) of 97% purity dissolved in 100% dimethylsulfoxide was prepared using established protocols [3]. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and propidium iodide (PI) were purchased from Sigma–Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). Polyvinylidenedifluoride membrane was purchased from Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (Hercules, CA, USA).