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Non-caspase proteases: triggers or amplifiers of apoptosis?

  • Multi-author Review
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Abstract

Caspases are the most important effectors of apoptosis, the major form of programmed cell death (PCD) in multicellular organisms. This is best reflected by the appearance of serious development defects in mice deficient for caspase-8, -9, and -3. Meanwhile, caspase-independent PCD, mediated by other proteases or signaling components has been described in numerous publications. Although we do not doubt that such cell death exists, we propose that it has evolved later during evolution and is most likely not designed to execute, but to amplify and speed-up caspase-dependent cell death. This review shall provide evidence for such a concept.

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Acknowledgments

Our work is supported by the Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM, GSC-4) and the Centre for Biological Signaling Studies (bioss, EXC 294), both supported by the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal and State Governments, and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (BO-1933 and GRK1104).

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  1. Carolin Oberle

    Present address: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, PO Box 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (ZBMZ), Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Stefan Meier Str. 17, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Karen Schrader, Jisen Huai, Lars Jöckel, Carolin Oberle & Christoph Borner

  2. Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Karen Schrader, Lars Jöckel & Christoph Borner

  3. Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Albertstr. 19a, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Lars Jöckel & Christoph Borner

  4. Centre for Biological Signaling Studies (Bioss), Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Albertstrasse 19, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Christoph Borner

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  1. Karen Schrader
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Correspondence to Christoph Borner.

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Schrader, K., Huai, J., Jöckel, L. et al. Non-caspase proteases: triggers or amplifiers of apoptosis?. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 67, 1607–1618 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-010-0287-9

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