CASP3 and malignant colon neoplasm: In agreement with the induction of apoptotic cell death, expression of apoptotic proteins such as cleaved caspase-3, -8, -9, cleaved PARP, Bid, cytochrome-C and Bax was increased, but expression of Bcl-2, cIAP1 and XIAP was decreased in both SW480 and HCT116 colon cancer cells in a concentration dependent manner (Fig. 2a).