Moreover, we observed even more pronounced expression of mRNA for pro-apoptotic gene BAX in patients suffering from ACTH-dependent (AD-CS) compared to ACTH-independent (AID-CS) causes of endogenous glucocorticoid overproduction (nearly 100% upregulation of BAX mRNA; p < 0.05; Figure 3a). This evidence concerns the gene POMC and Cowden syndrome 1.