BIRC2 and breast cancer: Moreover, another study showed that dioscin, a saponin extracted from the roots of Polygonatum zanlanscianense, induced cell death via AIF-facilitating caspase-independent pathway, as well as down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins, such as Bcl-2 and cIAP-1 (Cellular Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein 1) in breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-453) [55].