p34SEI-1 Inhibits Apoptosis through the Stabilization of the X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein: p34SEI-1 as a Novel Target for Anti–Breast Cancer Strategies

The p34 SEI-1 protein exerts oncogenic effects via regulation of the cell cycle, which occurs through a direct interaction with cyclin-dependent kinase 4. Such regulation can increase the survival of various types of tumor cells. Here, we show that the antiapoptotic function of p34 SEI-1 increases tumor cell survival by protecting the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) from degradation. Our findings show that p34 SEI-1 inhibits apoptosis. This antiapoptotic effect was eliminated by the suppression of p34 SEI-1 expression. We also determined that direct binding of p34 SEI-1 to the BIR2 domain prevents ubiquitination of XIAP. Interestingly, p34 SEI-1 expression is absent or weak in normal tissues but is strongly expressed in tissues obtained from patients with breast cancer. Furthermore, the expression levels of p34 SEI-1 and XIAP seem to be coordinated in human breast cancer cell lines and tumor tissues. Thus, our findings reveal that p34 SEI-1 uses a novel apoptosis-inhibiting mechanism to stabilize XIAP. [Cancer Res 2009;69(3):741–6]