Effect of EGCG and EGCG-MP on TUNEL-positive cells and the cleavage of caspase 9/3 and PARP in K562 cells. (A) The apoptotic effects of EGCG and EGCG-MP in K562 cells were analysed by TUNEL assay. Green spots represent apoptotic positive cells. (B) A histogram representing TUNEL assay results. Data are presented as means ± SD. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, significantly different as indicated. (C) Effect of EGCG-MP on the apoptotic sub-G1 population of K562 cells. Cells were treated with EGCG-MP (0, 7.5, 15 or 30 μM) for 24 h, stained with PI and the cell cycle analysed by flow cytometry. Data are presented as means ± SD. *P < 0.05; ***P < 0.001, significantly different from untreated controls. (D) Effects of EGCG and EGCG-MP on caspase 9/3 and PARP in K562 cells. K562 cells were treated with EGCG or EGCG-MP (0, 7.5, 15 or 30 μM) for 24 h. Cell lysates were prepared and analysed by Western blotting for caspase 9, caspase 3, cleaved caspase 3, caspase 8 and PARP in K562 cells.