Interestingly, the observed protein expression in both our in vitro and in vivo data, including our SCID mouse xenograft model, was recapitulated in the livers of patients with HCC compared with normal subjects, wherein we observed overexpression of survivin and low levels of SMAC protein in the livers of HCC patients compared with normal subjects (Figure 5). Here, BIRC5 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.