CASP9 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In terms of AP-2α, Huang et al. concluded that this transcription factor modulates hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth and motility through several pathways i.e. VEGF/Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (VEGF/PEDF) signaling pathway mediated by HIF1α, β-catenin/TCF/LEF signaling, mitochondrial pathway depended on Bax/Cytochrome c/Apaf1/Caspase 9, or CdK-inhibitor p21WAF in both p53-dependent and independent pathways (45).