Human Caspase-1: Difference between revisions

Caspases (cysteine-aspartic proteases) are proteolytic enzymes that play essential roles in apoptosis, development, inflammation, and the immune system. As the name suggests, caspases cleave proteins on the C-side of aspartic acid residues. As of now, around 12 caspases have been identified in two categories, inflammatory and apoptotic. Apoptotic caspases are further divided into initiator (apical) caspases and effector (executioner) caspases. Initiator caspases cleave and activate effector caspases, which in turn start apoptosis by cleaving other proteins in a cascade reaction. Faulty or premature apoptosis is a main component of autoimmune diseases, leading to research into caspase inhibitors to treat diseases like Alzheimer's. Inflammatory proteins on the other hand usually work by proteolytically actiavting cytokines, leading to a different kind of cell mediated death called pyroptosis.