Survivin Small Molecules Inhibitors: Recent Advances and Challenges

Survivin, as a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) family, acts as a suppressor of apoptosis and plays a central role in cell division. Survivin has been considered as an important cancer drug target because it is highly expressed in many types of human cancers, while it is effectively absent from terminally differentiated normal tissues. Moreover, survivin is involved in tumor cell resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. Preclinically, downregulation of survivin expression or function reduced tumor growth induced apoptosis and sensitized tumor cells to radiation and chemotherapy in different human tumor models. This review highlights the role of survivin in promoting cellular proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis and summarizes the recent advances in and challenges of developing small-molecule survivin inhibitors.

Automated summary

Survivin, a member of IAPs family, acts as a suppressor of apoptosis and is considered as an important cancer drug target due to its high expression in many types of human cancers. It is also involved in tumor cell resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. Downregulation of survivin can reduce tumor growth, induce apoptosis, and enhance tumor cell sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy in different human tumor models.