title: Caspase inhibitors.
abstract: Caspases are the key effector molecules of the physiological death process known as apoptosis, although some are involved in activation of cytokines, rather than cell death. They exist in most of our cells as inactive precursors (zymogens) that kill the cell once activated. Caspases can be controlled in two ways. The processing and activation of a caspase can be regulated by molecules such as FADD, APAF-1, Bcl-2 family members, FLIP and IAPs. Active caspases can be controlled by a variety of inhibitors that directly interact with the protease. This review describes the later direct caspase inhibitors that have been identified, products of both viral and cellular genes, and artificial caspase inhibitors that have been developed both as research tools and as pharmaceutical agents to inhibit cell death in vivo.
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, c/o Post Office Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria 3050, Australia. ekert@wehi.edu.au
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Ekert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silke
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vaux
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015608:Cowpox virus; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D015843:Serpins / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; C102316:SERPINB9 protein, human; D015843:Serpins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C086430:inhibitor of apoptosis, Nucleopolyhedrovirus; C074641:interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme inhibitor