The reduced protein level of full-length PARP, procaspase-3, procaspase-8 and Bcl-2 and the increased protein level of cleaved PARP and Bax in the TGM3-expressing HNSCC cell lines, as shown by western blot analysis, confirmed that the induction of apoptosis is closely involved in the effects of ectopic TGM3 expression. The gene discussed is BAX; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.