Figure 6.

Proposed signalling pathway for butyrate induced Caco-2 cell apoptosis. After stimulation with butyrate the mitochondrial bcl rheostat is shifted towards a proapoptotic constellation, with markedly increased mitochondrial bak levels and decreased bcl-x_L levels. This shift allows the translocation of cytochrome-c from the mitochondria to the cytosol, allowing the formation of an apoptosome. Thereafter, activation of the caspase cascade via caspase-9 ensues, leading to apoptotic cell death.