Table 3.
Topical applications of caffeine to UVB-pretreated high-risk mice stimulates apoptosis in the tumors.
| Treatment | No. of tumors examined | Percent caspase 3 positive cells | Percent increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NON-TUMOR AREAS | |||
| Control | - | 0.159 ± 0.015 | - |
| Caffeine | - | 0.165 ± 0.027 | 4 |
| KERATOACANTHOMAS | |||
| Control | 198 | 0.229 ± 0.017 | - |
| Caffeine | 118 | 0.430 ± 0.034a | 88 |
| CARCINOMAS | |||
| Control | 33 | 0.196 ± 0.022 | - |
| Caffeine | 10 | 0.376 ± 0.056a | 92 |
High-risk UVB-pretreated mice (30/group) were treated topically with acetone (100 μl) or with caffeine (6.2 μmol) in 100 μl acetone once daily 5 days a week for 18 weeks as shown in Table 2. Each value for the percent of caspase 3 positive cells represents the mean ± SE ap < 0.01. Taken from Lu et al. (2002).