CASP8 And FADD Like Apoptosis Regulator (CFLAR)

Caspases are cysteine proteases that play a central role in apoptosis. Caspase-8 (FLICE) may be the first enzyme of the proteolytic cascade that is activated by the FAS ligand (FASL) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Caspase-8 is recruited to FAS and TNF receptor-1 (TNFR1) through interaction of its prodomain with the death effector domain (DED) of the receptor-associating protein FADD. The predicted 480-amino acid CASPER protein contains 2 DED-like modules at its N terminus and a C-terminal caspase-like protease domain. However, CASPER is not a caspase since it lacks several conserved amino acids found in all identified caspases. Northern blot analysis detected several CASPER transcripts, with highest expression in human skeletal muscle, pancreas, and heart.