Description
Caspase-3 plays a key role in the activation cascade of caspases responsible for executing apoptosis. Early in apoptosis, it proteolytically cleaves poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase PARP1 at the '216-Asp-:-Gly-217' bond. Caspase-3 also cleaves and activates sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) between the basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper domain and the membrane attachment domain. Additionally, it cleaves and activates caspase-6, caspase-7, and caspase-9 (CASP6, CASP7, and CASP9, respectively) and cleaves and inactivates interleukin-18 (IL18). During in vitro maturation of rabbit oocytes, CASP3 expression levels are affected by antioxidants such as α-tocopherol. It has been shown that α-tocopherol reduces the expression level of CASP3, which reduces oxidative stress and apoptosis, and increases the developmental potential of oocytes