BCL2 and brain ischemia: In addition, urate has been shown to increase the ratio of the mitochondrial anti/pro-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2/Bax in cells expressing mutant superoxide dismutase and decrease levels of the mutagenic deoxynucleotide 8-OHdG in the cortices of rats having undergone focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion [81,82].