Fig. 5.

Fr activates the apoptosis-death signaling pathway in endometriotic cells. For analysis of frequency of apoptotic or dead cell populations, 12Z cells were incubated with the increasing doses of Fr for 24 h, and then the percentage of Annexin⁺ or PI⁺ cells were measured at excitation (Ex) 494/emission (Em) 525 nm for Annexin V and Ex 535/Em 617 nm for PI (A, B). Mitochondria-relative apoptosis molecules, Bax and Bcl-2 (C) and the cleavage forms of caspase −3 and −9, and PARP, main intracellular apoptosis signaling proteins (D), were detected 24 hrs after Fr treatment. GAPDH was used as control, and the specific molecular weight is represented on the left.