BCL2 and viral infectious disease: Furthermore, this process is suppressed by over-expressing Bcl-2, transfecting US3 or adding caspase-3 inhibitor.86 During viral infection, viral protein cleavage by caspases leads to a variety of consequences, such as the counteraction of apoptosis, the enhancement or weakening of replication and the spread of the virus.87 Furthermore, ICP22 can antagonize p53.