Bromelain treatment induces apoptosis.

(A) Protein levels of autophagy-related molecules (ATG5/12, Beclin-1, LC3, and P62) in vehicle-treated and bromelain-treated HCT116 and HT-29 cells were detected by Western blotting. (B) A qPCR analysis of apoptotic gene expressions in HCT116 cells treated with 0, 10, and 40 μg/ml of bromelain. Levels of AIF, Endo G, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 dramatically increased after bromelain treatment. (C) Levels of cleaved (c)-PARP, c-caspase-3, c-caspase-8, and c-caspase-9 in vehicle-treated and bromelain-treated HCT116 and HT-29 cells were detected by Western blotting. Data are presented as the mean±SD of at least three independent experiments. * pp<0.005.