Brucella abortus infection inhibits synovial cell apoptosis by upregulating anti-apoptotic factors including cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 2 (cIAP2), clusterin, livin, and P21/CIP/CDNK1A, but infection does not affect the expression of apoptotic proteins such as bcl2 associated agonist of cell death (Bad), bcl2 associated x (Bax), cleaved procaspase 3, cytochrome c oxidase (CytC), and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Here, BIRC3 is linked to infection.