BAX and hepatocellular carcinoma: Furthermore, this study elucidates the underlying mechanism that suppressing DRP1-mediated mitochondrial fission and mitophagy could increase Bax mitochondrial translocation, resulting in the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, the massive release of AIF and cytochrome c from mitochondria, and triggering mitochondrial apoptosis of hypoxic HCC cells, augmenting hypoxic cytotoxicity to HCC cells.