BCL2L1 and Sepsis: Another study by Schwulst et al. examined the effect of an agonistic antibody against CD40, a TNFR family member, on lymphocyte apoptosis and survival in experimental sepsis and showed that anti-CD40 treatment conferred protection against sepsis-induced lymphocyte apoptosis via Bcl-xL (antiapoptotic protein) upregulation and improved survival in sepsis [17].