PHLDB3 and cancer: Interestingly, ectopic PHLDB3 reduced the basal level of apoptosis of HCT116p53+/+ cells and could even significantly downgrade the Doxorubicin- or 5-Fu-induced apoptosis of the cancer cells (Fig. 7a,b) by reducing the protein level of p53 and of its target Puma, which was induced by the two drugs (Fig. 7b), as well as reducing cleaved PARP (Fig. 7b).