caspase-8及其研究进展

细胞凋亡是细胞生理性自主死亡的过程,一组被称为caspase的蛋白酶蛋白水解系统是该过程的核心。Fas(APO-1/CD95)是一种跨细胞膜受体,其活化后会引发细胞凋亡。在Fas引发的凋亡过程中一系列caspase级联式地活化,其中caspase-8的活化是其第一步反应。活化后的caspase-8会引发包括caspase-9在内的下游caspase活化,进而诱导细胞凋亡。caspase-8与人类的诸多疾病及损伤的病理变化有关,如癌症、神经退化性疾病、寄生虫病及创伤等。随着对caspase-8的结构、功能和调控等方面研究的不断深入,将会发现更多有关caspase-8的生物学作用。

Caspase- 8 and its advances in related studies

Apoptosis is a physiological process of cellular autodestruction.The central component of this machinery is a proteolytic system involving a family of proteases called caspases.Fas(APO-1/CD95) is a transmembrane receptor protein which induces apoptosis upon activation.In apoptosis triggered by Fas,a subset of caspases is activated.Among them,caspases-8(FLICE/MACH) is the first step in the cascade of apoptotic events induced by Fas.Cleavaged caspase-8 then activates other downstream caspases including caspase-9,thereby commiting the cell to undergo apoptosis.Many studies show that caspase-8 is related to the pathogenesis of certain diseases and injuries such as cancers, neurodegenerative diseases,parasitosis,trauma and so on in human beings.With the continuous researches in the structure,function and regulation of caspase-8,more aspects on caspase-8 and its biological functions will be understood.