20(S)-Protopanaxadiol saponins inhibit SKOV3 cell migration

While the anti-tumor actions of ginsenosides from Panax notoginseng are well-studied, the anti-proliferative activity of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol saponins (PDS) in Sanchi ginseng on human ovarian cancer has not been reported, nor has its effect on migration of SKOV3 cells been investigated. In the present study, a wound-healing assay indicated that PDS inhibited the migration of SKOV3 cells, and a Matrigel™ tube formation assay demonstrated the presence of inhibitory tube-structures following treatment with PDS. To date, there are no previous reports on the regulation of osteopontin (OPN), a glycophosphoprotein cytokine frequently expressed in ovarian carcinoma effusions by PDS. A reduction in the expression of OPN following PDS-treatment was observed using immunohistochemical and western blot experiments. These results suggest that PDS may be useful in the search for a potential ovarian cancer treatment.