APAF1 and Hypertension: To determine whether EGCG attenuates downstream components of neural Fas-mediated and mitochondrial-mediated Caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways in early aged hypertension, Western blotting was carried out to compare the protein expressions of Caspase-8 (Fas-mediated), mitochondrial Cytochrome C, cytosolic Cytochrome C, Apaf-1, Caspase-9 (mitochondrial-mediated), and Caspase-3 (Fas-mediated and mitochondrial-mediated) in cerebral cortex tissues among WKY, SHR, and SHR-EGCG groups.