It is relevant to mention that survivin up regulation renders cells resistant to prodigiosin and, moreover, that prodigiosin and other prodiginine pigments have been shown to decrease expression of survivin (and other IAPs) in various human cancer cell lines.20 In fact, prodigiosin (2) was able to resensitize breast carcinoma cells to paclitaxel which, in turn, up regulates survivin making cells resistant to apoptosis.21 Our data strengthen the evidence on the central role undertaken by survivin in triggering the apoptotic process induced by 2,22 potentially by directly targeting survivin. This evidence concerns the gene BIRC5 and breast carcinoma.