Apoptosis plays a fundamental role in many normal biological processes as well as in several disease states. Apoptosis can be induced by various stimuli that all produce the same end result: systematic and orderly cell death.

The inflammasome is a large multiprotein complex whose assembly leads to the activation of caspase-1, which promotes the maturation of proinflammatory cytokines: interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18.

The TriboTM Caspase-1 Colorimetric Assay Kits provide a simple and convenient means for assaying the activity of caspases that recognize the sequence YVAD. The assay is based on spectrophotometric detection of the chromophore p- nitroaniline (pNA) after cleavage from the labeled substrate YVAD-pNA. The pNA light emission can be quantified using a spectrophotometer or a microtiter plate reader at 400- or 405-nm. Comparison of the absorbance of pNA from an apoptotic sample with an uninduced control allows the determination of the fold increase in caspase-1 activity.

APPLICATIONS

• Apoptosis
• Drug screening
• Growth factors
• Cytotoxicity