BNIP3 and colorectal cancer: As shown in Figure 4c, the mitochondria in LS174T-p53-KD, Mieap-KD and BNIP3-KD cells produced high levels of ROS under hypoxia, whereas only a small amount of ROS were detected in the mitochondria of LS174T control cells, implying that the unhealthy mitochondria accumulate in the MALM-deficient colorectal cancer cells and produce high level of ROS under hypoxic conditions.