These data were further confirmed by Western blot analysis of cleaved PARP (Figure 2C,D), which is the substrate of caspase‐3 and is a sensitive marker of apoptosis.20 The BCL‐2 family‐mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway plays a key role in LPS‐induced EC apoptosis.21 Genistein inhibits cancer cell apoptosis by regulating the expression of the anti‐apoptotic protein BCL‐2 without altering the expression of the pro‐apoptotic protein BAX.22 We further determined the expression changes of BCL‐2 and BAX in LPS‐treated ECs with/without GSS pre‐treatment. This evidence concerns the gene BAX and cancer.