That VWF can have further pro-apoptotic functions was shown by Mochizuki et al. who observed VWF-induced apoptosis in tumor cells with a low expression of the protease ADAM28 (breast cancer cell line MCF-7, renal cell carcinoma line 769P and hepatocellular cell carcinoma line HepG2). Here, VWF is linked to renal cell carcinoma.