Interleukin‐1βconverting enzyme: A novel cysteine protease required for IL‐1β production and implicated in programmed cell death

作者：Nancy A. Thornberry, Susan M. Molineaux · 发表于：Protein Science · 年份：1995 · DOI：10.1002/pro.5560040102 · 被引用次数：172 · 研究领域：Cell death mechanisms and regulation、Trace Elements in Health、interferon and immune responses

Interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme is the first member of a new class of cysteine proteases. The most distinguishing feature of this family is a nearly absolute specificity for cleavage at aspartic acid. This enzyme has been the subject of intense research because of its role in the production of IL-1 beta, a key mediator of inflammation. These studies have culminated in the design of potent inhibitors and determination of its crystal structure. The structure secures the relationship of the enzyme to CED-3, the product of a gene required for programmed cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans, suggesting that members of this family function in cell death in vertebrates.