In vitro and in xenograft tumours, HSP inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells by inducing apoptosis through a dose-dependent increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, cyt-c, caspase-3, caspase-9, AIF, and Apaf-1 via a mitochondrial-dependent mechanism [156]. This evidence concerns the gene APAF1 and hereditary spastic paraplegia.