BCL2 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In HCC, ILF2 overexpression upregulates anti-apoptotic proteins B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and baculoviral IAP repeat containing 2 (BIRC1) while downregulating pro-apoptotic proteins BCL2-associated X apoptosis regulator (BAX) and BCL2 family apoptosis regulator BOK (BOK), inhibiting apoptosis (14).