en تخصصي Special پژوهشي Research <div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Background:</strong> C-phycocyanin, a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis, is a future candidate for cancer management. This agent is originated from edible blue-green algae, and numerous in vivo and in vitro research have reported on its anti-cancer properties. The effects of C-phycocyanin have been investigated on caspases 3, 8, 9, and p53 pathways in the human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).<br> <strong>Methods: </strong>In the current study, we investigated the effect of C-phycocyanin on caspase 3, 8, 9, and p53-mediated apoptosis pathways in two cell lines (HT-29 & HUVEC), using quantitative real-time PCR and flow cytometry. The cytotoxicity of phycocyanin on HT-29 cells was compared with HUVEC normal cells via colorimetric assays.<br> <strong>Results:</strong> Based on our findings at molecular level, the expression of caspases 3, 8, 9, and p53 genes were increased in colorectal cancer cells treated with C-phycocyanin.The results were confirmed by an increase in the number of colorectal cancer cells in the early and late stages of apoptosis as compared to the control, untreated cells. In addition, the results of colorimetric assay showed that C-phycocyanin has no cytotoxic effects on normal HUVECs cells.<br> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Based on our experimental data, it is evident that C-phycocyanin has measurable effects on cell apoptosis. Since tumorigenesis is halted by apoptosis, C-phycocyanin can be a hopeful candidate for the treatment of human colorectal cancer in the future.</div> Apoptosis, Caspases, Colorectal Cancer, Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells, Phycocyanin, Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 39 44 http://ijt.arakmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1134-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Abbas Asoudeh-Fard mi777.bio@gmail.com 100319475328460015793 100319475328460015793 No INSERM U1148, Laboratory for Vascular Translation Science (LVTS), Cardiovascular Bioengineering, University Sorbonne Paris North, Paris, France. Reza Najafipour rnajafi.pour@gmail.com 100319475328460015794 100319475328460015794 No Genetics Research Center, the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science, Tehran, Iran. Mitra Salehi Mitra.salehi.1374@gmail.com 100319475328460015795 100319475328460015795 No Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran. Mahsa Mahmoudi mahsa.mahmodi2711@gmail.com 100319475328460015796 100319475328460015796 No Faculty of Convergent Sciences and Technologies Islamic Azad University of Science and Research Tehran Iran. Iman Salahshourifar isalahshouri@gmail.com 100319475328460015797 100319475328460015797 No Assistant professor, Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Anoosh Eghdami eghdami49@gmail.com 100319475328460015798 100319475328460015798 No Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran. Asghar Parsaei Asghar_Parsaei@Yahoo.com 100319475328460015799 100319475328460015799 No Rayan Novin Pajoohan Pras, Biotechnology Company, Biotechnology Incubator, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Hossein Piri hosseinpiry@gmail.com 100319475328460015800 100319475328460015800 Yes Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran