Figure 3.

Curcumin induces caspase-independent apoptosis. (A) Nuclear protein was extracted from the cells following treatment with curcumin for 24 h, and the expression levels of AIF were detected in the nucleus by western blotting. Relative expression levels of AIF were determined by normalizing DMSO group levels to 1.0. Data are presented as the means ± standard deviation of three independent experiments. ^**P<0.01 vs. the DMSO group. (B) Translocation of AIF from the cytosol to the nucleus after RN5 cells were treated with curcumin for 24 h. Following incubation with an AIF primary antibody, cells were stained with an Alexa Fluor-555-conjugated goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G secondary antibody. Nuclei were stained with DAPI. Scale bar, 25 µm. AIF, apoptosis-inducing factor; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide.