To mechanistically understand the photoactivated hypericin-induced apoptosis of RINm5F insulinoma cells, we investigated if photoactivated hypericin impinged on the pro-apoptotic mediators cleaved caspases-3, cleaved caspases-9 and the apoptotic index Bax-to-Bcl-2 ratio by using immunoblot analysis. The gene discussed is CASP3; the disease is pancreatic insulinoma.