title: Identification of a novel exon encoding the amino-terminus of the predominant caspase-5 variants.
abstract: Caspase-5 is a caspase-1-like protease with pro-apoptotic and pro-inflammatory activities. Here we have identified a novel exon at the 5'-end of the human caspase-5 gene. This novel exon was present in six alternatively spliced caspase-5 mRNA variants expressed in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and encoded the previously unknown amino-terminus of caspase-5. The genomic region upstream of this exon contained sequence elements homologous to those of the caspase-11 promoter in the mouse, and transcription of caspase-5 was upregulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a caspase-11-like manner in human PBMC in vivo. Taken together, our findings call for a revision of the structure of caspase-5 at the genomic level as well as at the mRNA and protein levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eckhart
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kittel
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gawlas
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mildner
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jilma
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tschachler
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C099217:CASP5 protein, human; D020169:Caspases