GHITM appears to be ubiquitiously expressed in mammalian cells and expression has also been observed in various cancer cell lines. A cytoprotective function has been suggested. It is closely related to the BAX inhibitor (BI)-1 like family of small transmembrane proteins, which have been shown to have an antiapoptotic effect.
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",