AKT1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: In addition, the echinatin-induced apoptosis was abrogated by AKT (T308D/S473D) overexpression (Fig. 3e), and the western blot assay further confirmed that echinatin-induced cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP were significantly decreased in AKT (T308D/S473D)-overexpressing ESCC cells (Fig. 3f).