BNIP3 has been shown to induce cell death if expression is increased and can induce classical apoptosis through cytochrome c and caspase activation in some cells.
Increased expression of BNIP3 has been shown to induce cell death in different ways in multiple cell lines. BNIP3 can induce classical apoptosis through cytochrome c and caspase activation in some cells, while in others, cells have undergone autophagic cell death, occurring in the absence of apaf-1, caspase-1 or caspase 3, and without cytochrome c release. 
