BCL2L1 and cancer: On this note, while SAMe plays an anti-apoptotic role in hepatocytes, partly by raising the antioxidant capacity as a GSH precursor and suppressing the induction of TNF-α [82,83], it induces apoptosis in cancer cells by different mechanisms like selectively inducing Bcl-xS–the pro-apoptotic variant of Bcl-x [84], further protecting liver health.