Figure 3.

Fisetin, an anti-inflammatory agent, induces apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner in liver cancer cells. (A–D) The effect of the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (50 mM, 24 h) on fisetin-treated apoptotic cell death. HepG2 and Hep3B cells were pretreated with Z-VAD-FMK (50 mM, 4 h) and then treated with fisetin (100 µM, 24 h). Caspase-3 activity, LDH, and WST-1 assays were carried out. * = p < 0.05, n.s = no significant. The protein expression level of cleaved caspase-3 was determined and analyzed by western blotting. The level of β-actin was used as the protein loading control. Data are representative of three experiments.