Description
Caspase-1 is the best-described inflammatory caspase. It processes the cytokines interleukin- 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) and induces pyroptotic cell death. Caspase-1 is synthesized as inactive pro-Caspase-1, wich is activated and processed by multiprotein complexes called inflammasomes in response to numerous stimuli that are detected through distinct inflammasomes. NLRC4 responds to cytosolic flagellin, murine NLRP1b responds to anthrax lethal toxin, AIM2 responds to cytosolic DNA and NLRP3/NALP3 responds to a variety of agonists including crystals. Pro-Caspase-1, once activated by an inflammasome complex is processed into p20 and p10 subunits that assembles to form a p20-p20 /p10-p10 active complex that is secreted by a nonconventional (non-ER-dependent) mechanism