In DLD1 colon cancer cells, hydroxytyrosol decreased antioxidant defense capacity resulting in decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, while attenuating forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) transcriptional activation of target genes via phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) activation (87). This evidence concerns the gene FOXO3 and malignant colon neoplasm.