Apoptosis: Therapeutic target in neurodegeneration and sepsis

Cellular apoptosis has been considered as the main physiological mechanism underlying neuronal demise associated to neurodegenerative diseases. Apoptosis has also been described in parenquimal and microvascular endothelium in the acute phase of sepsis during multi-organic dysfunction. Therefore, strategies aimed to prevent apoptosis (anti-apoptotic) represent a valuable tool for prevention and/or retardation of the appearance of clinical symptoms in these disorders, which generate a large morbilitymortality, social and economic burden worldwide. The present review is aim to show that antiapoptotic strategies hold a great therapeutic potential. In this sense, we will review some of these potential therapies such as caspase inhibitors, activated protein C, Bcl-2 family and the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.