Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 5 (Survivin) (BIRC5)

Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 5 (Survivin) is a multifunctional protein that belongs to the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family and serves as a key component of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) (UniProt: O15392). It plays a dual role in the cell, acting as a suppressor of programmed cell death by inhibiting caspase activity and as a vital regulator of mitosis and cytokinesis (PubMed: 29610285). Survivin is highly expressed in nearly all human cancers but is largely absent in normal adult tissues, making it an ideal tumor-associated antigen for targeted therapies. In the context of immunotherapy, the vaccine SurVaxM (SVN53-67/M8) utilizes a synthetic peptide mimic to prime the immune system to recognize survivin-expressing cells through both T-cell and B-cell mediated pathways (PubMed: 30545843). This immune-mediated recognition leads to the selective destruction of malignant cells, particularly in aggressive cancers like glioblastoma, where survivin levels correlate with poor prognosis and resistance to conventional treatments. Targeting survivin not only induces apoptosis but also causes mitotic catastrophe, effectively bypassing many common mechanisms of drug resistance in tumor cells.

Other names

SurvivinAPI4EPR-1Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing 5IAP4

SurVaxM is a peptide vaccine that induces a dual immune response, stimulating both survivin-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and B-cell mediated antibody production to target and eliminate survivin-expressing tumor cells (PubMed: 30545843). Other agents like YM155 act by suppressing the BIRC5 gene promoter to inhibit survivin expression (PubChem: 11299045).