In addition, supporting the hypothesis that mitochondria play a pivotal role in the apoptotic signaling pathway induced by AAP in neuroblastoma cells, the overexpression of the antiapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 protein family, Bcl-xL[70] completely prevented AAP- as well as IL-1β-induced neuroblastoma death. The gene discussed is BCL2L1; the disease is neuroblastoma.