To further determine whether caspases are critical to Spautin-1 induced apoptosis, MTS assay (Fig. 3d), flow cytometry (Fig. 3e, f and Additional file 1: Figure S2b, c) and western blot analysis (Fig. 3g) were used to detect the cell viability, cell death and the expression of PARP cleavage and cleaved-Caspase 3, respectively, in PCa cells post Spautin-1 treatment in the presence or absence of Z-VAD-FMK, a pan caspase inhibitor. This evidence concerns the gene CASP3 and posterior cortical atrophy.