APAF1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In HCC Bel7402 and HLE cells, in the concentration- and time-dependent manners, ropivacaine markedly suppressed the cells proliferation and migration via damaging mitochondria by inducing endogenous apoptosis event as confirmed by the up-regulated caspase 3/9, apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1) and released cytochrome C from mitochondria and down-regulated anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 (73).