Chemicals and Drugs

Caspases

A family of intracellular CYSTEINE ENDOPEPTIDASES that play a role in regulating INFLAMMATION and APOPTOSIS. They specifically cleave peptides at a CYSTEINE amino acid that follows an ASPARTIC ACID residue. Caspases are activated by proteolytic cleavage of a precursor form to yield large and small subunits that form the enzyme. Since the cleavage site within precursors matches the specificity of caspases, sequential activation of precursors by activated caspases can occur.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A family of intracellular CYSTEINE ENDOPEPTIDASES that play a role in regulating INFLAMMATION and APOPTOSIS. They specifically cleave peptides at a CYSTEINE amino acid that follows an ASPARTIC ACID residue. Caspases are activated by proteolytic cleavage of a precursor form to yield large and small subunits that form the enzyme. Since the cleavage site within precursors matches the specificity of caspases, sequential activation of precursors by activated caspases can occur.

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Synonyms

1 entry terms
  • Caspase

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

28 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, analysis, biosynthesis, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, deficiency, drug effects, economics, genetics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, ultrastructure, urine.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

CASPASES, EFFECTOR and CASPASES, INITIATOR and specifics are available

MeSH Record

History Note

1999

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Cysteine Proteinases (1997-1998)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. D08.811w.277w.656w.262w.500.126w
  2. D08.811w.277w.656w.300w.200.126w
  3. D12.776w.476.075.405w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Caspases. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D020169. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D020169
  2. Caspases. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspase
  3. Caspases. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25805