BAX and cancer: Our results are similar to previous reports that cisplatin-induced apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells depends on efficient Bax expression [7], and that SMAC expression and agents that mimic the IAP interacting function of SMAC sensitize human cancer cells to apoptosis induced by several anticancer agents, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and TNF alpha [43], [44].