CASP8 and heart failure: Studying the mechanism of apoptosis in heart failure results in a decrease in the activation of the Flip-L and S proteins (caspase 8 antagonists), resulting in the activation of caspase 8, which causes the truncation of the Bid protein (inducer of the release of cytochrome c caused by caspase 8) which leads to the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria and the activation of caspase 3.