Improved resuscitation after cardiac arrest in rats expressing the baculovirus caspase inhibitor protein p35 in central neurons.

Background: Global cerebral ischemia is associated with delayed neuronal death. Given the role of caspases in apoptosis, caspase inhibitors may provide neuronal protection after cardiac arrest. To this end, the authors generated a transgenic rat line expressing baculovirus p35, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, in central neurons.