CASP3 and melanoma: Heiligtag et al (2002) reported that cerulenin is an effective inducer of apoptosis in WT or mutant p53 neuroblastoma, melanoma, and colon carcinoma cell lines; normal human cells were resistant to cerulenin-induced apoptosis. Further, apoptosis was mediated both by overexpression of proapoptotic Bax, in a p53-independent manner, and by a rapid release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, leading to activation of caspase 3 and 9.