Abstract
Caspases participate in the molecular control of apoptosis in several guises; as triggers of the death machinery, as regulatory elements within it, and ultimately as a subset of the effector elements of the machinery itself. The mammalian caspase family is steadily growing and currently contains 14 members. At present, it is unclear whether all of these proteases participate in apoptosis. Thus, current research in this area is focused upon establishing the repertoire and order of caspase activation events that occur during the signalling and demolition phases of cell death. Evidence is accumulating to suggest that proximal caspase activation events are typically initiated by molecules that promote caspase aggregation. As expected, distal caspase activation events are likely to be controlled by caspases activated earlier in the cascade. However, recent data has cast doubt upon the functional demarcation of caspases into signalling (upstream) and effector (downstream) roles based upon their prodomain lengths. In particular, caspase-3 may perform an important role in propagating the caspase cascade, in addition to its role as an effector caspase within the death programme. Here, we discuss the apoptosis-associated caspase cascade and the hierarchy of caspase activation events within it.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Edited by D Nicholson
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Slee, E., Adrain, C. & Martin, S. Serial killers: ordering caspase activation events in apoptosis. Cell Death Differ 6, 1067–1074 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cdd.4400601
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cdd.4400601
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Dihydroartemisinin abolishes cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in vivo
Journal of Natural Medicines (2024)
-
Andrographolide anti-proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma through LncRNA MIR22HG regulation
Journal of Natural Medicines (2024)
-
Identity, structure, and function of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore: controversies, consensus, recent advances, and future directions
Cell Death & Differentiation (2023)
-
Spautin-1 Protects Against Mild TBI-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior in Mice via Immunologically Silent Apoptosis
NeuroMolecular Medicine (2023)
-
Crowberry inhibits cell proliferation and migration through a molecular mechanism that includes inhibition of DEK and Akt signaling in cholangiocarcinoma
Chinese Medicine (2022)