BCL2 and neoplasm: Meanwhile, miR-143 can activate Caspase-3, a downstream signal of Bcl-2, and is associated with increased expression of pro-apoptotic genes PARP, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), Bcl-2 antagonist killer (Bak), and Bcl-2 cell death agonist (Bad), all of which induce apoptosis in tumor cells (70).