Transduction of primary AML cells (TS3) with a pcDNA-survivin construct obviously attenuated the effects of Ara-C, Dexamethasone and L-Asp alone or in combination on cytotoxicity as compared with controls (P < 0.05), indicating that over-expression of survivin renders primary AML cells more resistance to chemotherapeutic agents (Figure 2E left panel). The gene discussed is BIRC5; the disease is acute myeloid leukemia.