To further understand the role of the Bcl-2 protein family, it was demonstrated that Bcl-2 expression in CD133+ human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC) can be regulated by the Akt signalling pathways, the inhibitor specific for AKT1 reduced this cell survival protein expression significantly, indicating that CD133+ HCC contribute to chemo-resistance through preferential activation of AKT/PKB and Bcl-2 cell survival response [50]. This evidence concerns the gene PROM1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.