Caspase 1

Caspase 1/Interleukin-1 converting enzyme is an enzyme that proteolytically cleaves other proteins, such as the precursor forms of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β and interleukin 18, into active mature peptides. It plays a central role in cell immunity as an inflammatory response initiator. Once activated by an inflammasome complex, it initiates a two-fold inflammation response through the cleavage and activation of the two inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β and interleukin 18 as well as the initiation of pyroptosis, a programmed lytic cell death pathway. The two inflammatory cytokines activated by Caspase 1 are secreted from the cell to act as a signals of pyroptosis to neighboring cells.