BAX and pemphigus: Cellular levels of various proapoptotic molecules, including Bax (BCL2-associatedx protein) and p53 (tumor protein p53), are increased in pemphigus (Wang et al., 2004).Because apoptosis dysregulation may play a role in pemphigus, genetic variantsof the proteins involved in the apoptotic process may participate in theinterindividual variation of susceptibility to the disease.