BECN1 and serum lipopolysaccharide activity: Previously, in an animal model study of endotoxemia-induced cardiac dysfunction, we discovered that enhancing autophagy via the specific activation of Beclin-1, a universally expressed autophagy initiation factor (19, 20), protects myocardial mitochondria, reduces mitochondria-derived danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and thus, alleviates inflammation, reduces fibrosis, and improves cardiac performance (21).