Caspase 8

Caspase-8 is a caspase protein, encoded by the CASP8 gene. It most likely acts upon caspase-3.CASP8 orthologs have been identified in numerous mammals for which complete genome data are available. These unique orthologs are also present in birds.1F9E, 1I4E, 1QDU, 1QTN, 2C2Z, 2FUN, 2K7Z, 2Y1L, 3H11, 3KJN, 3KJQ, 4JJ7, 4PRZ, 4PS1, 4ZBW84112370ENSG00000064012ENSMUSG00000026029Q14790O89110NM_033357NM_033358NM_001080126NM_001277926NM_009812NP_203522NP_001073595NP_001264855NP_033942The CASP8 gene encodes a member of the cysteine-aspartic acid protease (caspase) family. Sequential activation of caspases plays a central role in the execution-phase of cell apoptosis. Caspases exist as inactive proenzymes composed of a prodomain, a large protease subunit, and a small protease subunit. Activation of caspases requires proteolytic processing at conserved internal aspartic residues to generate a heterodimeric enzyme consisting of the large and small subunits. This protein is involved in the programmed cell death induced by Fas and various apoptotic stimuli. The N-terminal FADD-like death effector domain of this protein suggests that it may interact with Fas-interacting protein FADD. This protein was detected in the insoluble fraction of the affected brain region from Huntington disease patients but not in those from normal controls, which implicated the role in neurodegenerative diseases. Many alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described, although not all variants have had their full-length sequences determined.A very rare genetic disorder of the immune system can also be caused by mutations in this gene. This disease, called CEDS, stands for “Caspase eight deficiency state.” CEDS has features similar to ALPS, another genetic disease of apoptosis, with the addition of an immunodeficient phenotype. Thus, the clinical manifestations include splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy, in addition to recurrent sinopulmonary infections, recurrent mucocutaneous herpesvirus, persistent warts and molluscum contagiosum infections, and hypogammaglobulinemia. There is sometimes lymphocytic infiltrative disease in parenchymal organs, but autoimmunity is minimal and lymphoma has not been observed in the CEDS patients. CEDS is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.Caspase-8 has been shown to interact with: