A: effect of Ac-SDKP on TNF-α-stimulated IKK phosphorylation (p-IKK). HCAECs were pretreated with Ac-SDKP (10 nM) and then stimulated with TNF-α (0.5 ng/ml) for 15 min. Top: representative Western blots. Bottom: quantitative evaluation of p-IKK expression normalized to total IKK, **P < 0.01, n = 7. B: effect of Ac-SDKP on TNF-α-stimulated IKK-β expression. HCAECs were pretreated with Ac-SDKP (10 nM) and then stimulated with TNF-α (0.5 ng/ml). Top: quantitative evaluation of IKK-β expression normalized to GAPDH, *P < 0.05, n = 7. Bottom: quantitative evaluation of IKK-β mRNA expression, n = 5.