Preserved egg digests promote the apoptosis of HT29 and HepG2 cells

Preserved eggs are a type of egg products made from duck eggs and have anti-inflammatory activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of preserved egg simulated gastrointestinal digests on the apoptosis of HT29 and HepG2 cells. The cells morphology, apoptosis and apoptosis associated genes (Bcl-2, Bax, COX-2) and proteins (caspase-3 and caspase-9) were evaluated. The results showed that preserved egg digests significantly up regulated the expression of genes Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9, which are involved in cell apoptosis, and up regulated the expression of the pro-apoptotic factors Bcl-2 and COX-2 both in HT29 and HepG2 cells, leading to a reduction in the ratio of Bcl-2:Bax proteins. The results also showed that the apoptosis of HT29 and HepG2 cells was promoted by the PED in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, PED may serve as a potential functional food for cancer treatment.