CASP3 and heart failure: Cells, in an attempt to reduce the effects caused by overactivation of apoptosis in heart failure, reduce the activation of XIAP (inhibitor of active caspase 3), of Smac-L (a second activator of caspases originating from the mitochondria) and increase the activation of Smac-S, leading to a limitation of caspase 3 activity while at the same time a reduction of DNAases is also observed in the cells.