Cathepsins are widely involved in various cellular activities in cells, such as the synthesis and activation of hormones, the process of apoptosis and autophagy, etc. Several studies have found that cathepsins B and L are involved in the pathophysiological process of various neurological diseases, such as ischemic stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury (Lipton, 1999; Xu et al., 2013; Yamashima, 2013). This evidence concerns the gene CTSS and ischemic stroke.