Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 5 (BIRC5) mRNA splice variant (BIRC5 mRNA splice variant)

Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 5 (BIRC5), commonly known as survivin, is a unique member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family that is highly expressed in most human cancers but nearly undetectable in normal adult tissues (Source: UniProt O15392). The BIRC5 gene undergoes extensive alternative splicing to produce several mRNA variants, including Survivin-wt, Survivin-deltaEx3, Survivin-2B, Survivin-3B, and Survivin-2alpha, which possess distinct and sometimes opposing roles in regulating cell death and division (Source: PubMed PMID: 12853486). For instance, Survivin-deltaEx3 retains anti-apoptotic properties, whereas Survivin-2B may act as a pro-apoptotic antagonist. These mRNA splice variants are significant therapeutic targets because their selective inhibition can disrupt the survival signaling pathways that cancer cells rely on to evade apoptosis and maintain uncontrolled proliferation. Therapeutic strategies targeting these variants primarily involve antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and RNA interference (RNAi) technologies designed to knockdown specific transcripts. By reducing the expression of these variants, treatments aim to restore apoptotic sensitivity and enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy and radiation.

Other names

Survivin mRNA variantBIRC5 splice variantSurvivin-deltaEx3Survivin-2BSurvivin-3BSurvivin-2alphaBaculoviral IAP repeat-containing 5 mRNA

Antisense inhibition of mRNA translation and induction of RNase H-mediated degradation of specific survivin mRNA transcripts (Source: PubMed PMID: 22431144).