XIAP-deficiency leads to delayed lobuloalveolar development in the mammary gland

Dear Editor,

Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) were originally identified in baculoviruses where they prevent apoptosis of the host cell, thereby allowing viral propagation.¹ Cellular homologues of the viral IAP have been identified in yeast and metazoans. IAPs share a conserved structure known as the baculovirus IAP repeat (BIR) domain, which is an ∼80 amino acid zinc-finger motif. These proteins include DIAP1 and DIAP2 in Drosophila, XIAP, cIAP1, cIAP2 and ML-IAP as well as the more distantly related family members NAIPs, Survivin and BRUCE in vertebrates.² Some IAP proteins can act as potent inhibitors of apoptosis and appear to be the only endogenous inhibitors that directly inhibit both initiator and effector caspases.

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