CASP12 and cancer: In cancer models, silver NHC complexes have been shown to activate apoptosis death independent of caspases (Doğan Ulu et al. 2024; Iqbal et al. 2015; Li et al. 2014), targeting mitochondria and promoting the translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) and caspase-12 from the mitochondria to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and nucleus, respectively (Eloy et al. 2012).