Caspase-1 Colorimetric Assay Kit

Description

Caspases are a family of proteases involved in apoptosis, encompassing over ten members. Caspase-1 is the only caspase capable of cleaving IL-1b and IL-18 precursors to produce active cytokines. Caspase-11 cleaves the 45kD caspase-1 precursor protein to produce 20kD and 10kD fragments, which can form heterodimers and further tetramers. This tetramer possesses protease activity. Caspase-1 regulates apoptosis by cleaving Bcl-XL and modulates cytokine-mediated immune inflammatory responses by cleaving cytokine precursors. The assay is based on the specific hydrolysis of the peptide substrate Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-p-nitroanilide (YVAD-pNA) by caspase-1. The released free nitroanilide pNA has a maximum absorbance at 405 nm.