Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor
20:16

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor

Published on: February 1, 2018

[Caspases--a target for intervention in diseases which are still difficult to treat]

L Benes1, M Benesová

  • 1Ustav chemických léciv Farmaceutické fakulty Veterinární a Farmaceutické Univerzity, Brno. benesl@vfu.cz

Ceska a Slovenska Farmacie : Casopis Ceske Farmaceuticke Spolecnosti a Slovenske Farmaceuticke Spolecnosti
|April 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Caspases are key proteases in apoptosis, crucial for normal development. Inhibitors of these cysteine proteases offer potential treatments for diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Context:

  • Apoptosis is essential for organism development and involves specific cysteine proteases called caspases.
  • Caspase activity triggers cellular damage, including DNA fragmentation and organelle dysfunction, during apoptosis.
  • The caspases family comprises 14 enzymes, with caspase-1 and caspase-3 being the most studied.

Purpose:

  • To highlight the central role of caspases in apoptosis and cellular regulation.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of caspase inhibitors for various diseases.
  • To discuss the current challenges and research aims in developing non-peptidic caspase inhibitors.

Summary:

  • Caspases, specific cysteine proteases, are central to apoptosis, a process vital for normal development.
  • Caspase overactivity leads to cellular damage, impacting cell membranes, mitochondria, and DNA.
  • Caspase inhibitors are being investigated for treating intractable diseases like tumors, neurodegenerative, viral liver, and inflammatory conditions.

Impact:

  • Caspase inhibitors, particularly small molecules, represent a strategic research focus for novel disease treatments.
  • Developing effective cysteine protease inhibitors could lead to new therapeutic strategies for currently untreatable conditions.
  • This research holds promise for advancing treatments in oncology, neurology, and infectious diseases.

More Related Videos

Exploring Caspase Mutations and Post-Translational Modification by Molecular Modeling Approaches05:56

Exploring Caspase Mutations and Post-Translational Modification by Molecular Modeling Approaches

Published on: October 13, 2022

Evaluation of Caspase Activation to Assess Innate Immune Cell Death10:23

Evaluation of Caspase Activation to Assess Innate Immune Cell Death

Published on: January 20, 2023

Related Concept Videos

CRISPR01:59

CRISPR

Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Caspases01:24

Caspases

Caspase, a family of cysteine proteases, serve as effectors in apoptosis. The ced3 gene in C.elegans was first identified to be involved in apoptosis. This gene encodes the ced-3 caspase that is similar to the interleukin-1-beta converting enzyme or ICE in mammals. In addition to apoptosis, caspases also function in the inflammatory response. Inflammatory caspases are essential in activating pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and block the replication of pathogens inside cells.
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...