Futhermore, we observed that RKIP reduction conferred a clear proliferation advantage and apoptotic resistance to NPC cells in response to irradiation: RKIP knockdown increased while RKIP overexpression decreased cell proliferation; RKIP knockdown increased while RKIP overexpression decreased cell apoptosis. The gene discussed is PEBP1; the disease is nasopharyngeal carcinoma.