Description
This murine enzyme is part of the family of inflammatory caspases, which also includes caspase-1 (EC 3.4.22.36), caspase-4 (EC 3.4.22.57) and caspase-5 (EC 3.4.22.58) in humans and caspase-12, caspase-13 and caspase-14 in mice. Contains a caspase-recruitment domain (CARD) in its N-terminal prodomain, which plays a role in procaspase activation. Like caspase-5, but unlike caspase-4, this enzyme can be induced by lipopolysaccharide. This enzyme not only activates caspase-1, which is required for the maturation of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, but it also activates caspase-3 (EC 3.4.22.56), which leads to cellular apoptosis under pathological conditions. Belongs in peptidase family C14.