Fig. 4.

The mitochondrial pathway regulation by Plasmodium infection in colon cancer-bearing mice. a The expression of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-9, caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3) was analyzed by western blot. b Quantification of relative intensity of western blot signals: Bax (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 9.438, P < 0.0001); Bcl-2 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 3.822, P = 0.0051); caspase-9 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 5.462, P = 0.0006); caspase-3 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 3.836, P = 0.0050); cleaved caspase-3 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 11.36, P < 0.0001). c, d Immunohistochemical staining and quantification of apoptosis protein expression in the mitochondrial pathway. Bax (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 7.222, P < 0.0001); Bcl-2 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 10.92, P < 0.0001); caspase-9 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 7.465, P < 0.0001); caspase-3 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 10.23, P < 0.0001); cleaved caspase-3 (t-test, t₍₈₎ = 7.458, P < 0.0001). The results are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 5). Scale bar = 50 µm. ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, **** P < 0.0001