CASP3 and thoracic aortic aneurysm: Knockdown of AK139328 reduces caspase-3 activation and ameliorates injury.137 In vascular smooth muscle cells, the lncRNA HIF 1 alpha-antisense RNA 1, which is under positive regulation of Brahma-related gene 1, activates caspase-3 and promotes apoptosis and contributes to pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysms.138 Aside from aberrant expression of anti-apoptotic lncRNAs, cancer cells could also downregulate pro-apoptotic lncRNAs to evade apoptosis.