Vanillin induces expression of proteins related to cell apoptosis in CRC cells. CRC cell lines, HT-29/NC, HT-29/shNNMT, SW480/NC and SW480/NNMT, were treated with vanillin at different concentrations for 48 h. (A-E) Apoptosis-related proteins were analyzed by western blot analysis in the HT-29/NC, HT-29/shNNMT cells and are displayed as histograms. (F-J) Apoptosis-related proteins were analyzed by western blot analysis in the SW480/NC and SW480/NNMT cells and are displayed as histograms. The untreated groups of HT-29/NC and SW480/NC cells were used as the control group, respectively, which was set as 1 in B, D, E, G, I and J. Data are represented as means ± SD, n=3; *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001. Van, vanillin; CRC, colorectal cancer; NNMT, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase; PARP, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase; c-, cleaved.