Since the obligate compensatory suppression of apoptosis together with deregulated cell proliferation propelled the tumor cell and its progeny into uncontrolled expansion [31], we also detected the effect of 14–3-3ζ/HO-1 on HCC cell apoptosis by trypan blue exclusion assay and FACS-based Annexin V/PI staining. This evidence concerns the gene HMOX1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.