半胱天冬酶是属于半胱氨酸蛋白酶家族的蛋白水解酶,并且在稳态和程序性细胞死亡中起关键作用。半胱天冬酶根据其在细胞凋亡(哺乳动物中的半胱天冬酶-3、半胱天冬酶-6、半胱天冬酶-7、半胱天冬酶-8和半胱天冬酶-9)和炎症(人类中的半胱天冬酶-1、半胱天冬酶-4、半胱天冬酶-5和半胱天冬酶-12中的已知作用被广泛分类。和小鼠中的caspase-1,caspase-11和caspase-12)。参与细胞凋亡的半胱天冬酶根据其作用机制被分类为起始半胱天冬酶(半胱天冬酶-8和半胱天冬酶-9)或执行者半胱天冬酶(半胱天冬酶-3、半胱天冬酶-6和半胱天冬酶-7)。参与凋亡的胱天蛋白酶被称为凋亡抑制剂(IAP)的蛋白质抑制。除了细胞凋亡,胱天蛋白酶在坏死性凋亡中起作用,焦亡,和自噬,是非凋亡性细胞死亡过程。半胱天冬酶的失调在许多人类疾病中表现突出。包括癌症,自身免疫,和神经退行性疾病,越来越多的证据表明,改变caspase活性可以带来治疗益处。这篇综述涵盖了不同类型的胱天蛋白酶,他们的功能,以及它们在不同生物中的生理和生物活性和作用。
Caspases are proteolytic enzymes that belong to the cysteine protease family and play a crucial role in homeostasis and programmed cell death.
Caspases have been broadly classified by their known roles in apoptosis (caspase-3, caspase-6, caspase-7, caspase-8, and caspase-9 in mammals) and in inflammation (caspase-1, caspase-4, caspase-5, and caspase-12 in humans, and caspase-1, caspase-11, and caspase-12 in mice).
Caspases involved in apoptosis have been subclassified by their mechanism of action as either initiator
caspases (caspase-8 and caspase-9) or executioner
caspases (caspase-3, caspase-6, and caspase-7). Caspases that participate in apoptosis are inhibited by proteins known as inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs). In addition to apoptosis, caspases play a role in necroptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy, which are non-apoptotic cell death processes. Dysregulation of caspases features prominently in many human diseases, including cancer, autoimmunity, and neurodegenerative disorders, and increasing evidence shows that altering caspase activity can confer therapeutic benefits. This
review covers the different types of
caspases, their functions, and their physiological and biological activities and roles in different organisms.