Figure 4. TSLP preferentially promotes the apoptosis of primary colon cancer cells.

EpCAM⁺ cells were from FACS sorted dissociated tumor tissues (as primary colon cancer cells) or tumor-surrounding tissues (as non-transformed colonic epithelial cells) from two patients with colon cancer. A. Representative data of flow cytometric analysis of Annexin V-FITC/PI double-staining apoptotic cells and the percentages of AnnexinV⁺ apoptotic cells in primary colon cancer cells and non-transformed colonic epithelial cells treated with or without TSLP. Columns and error bars are representatives of mean±SEM of triplicate in one experiment. Similar results were obtained in two independent experiments. B. Western blotting analysis of protein levels of total and cleaved caspase-3. β-actin was used as the control.