Caspase 1

Caspase 1 is an enzyme that proteolytically cleaves other proteins, such as the precursor forms of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1-β and interleukin 18, into active mature peptides. It belongs to a family of cysteine proteases known as caspases that always cleave proteins following an aspartic acid residue. Caspase 1 is produced as a zymogen that is cleaved into 20 kDa (p20) and 10 kDa (p10) subunits that become part of the active enzyme. Active caspase 1 contains two heterodimers of p20 and p10. It interacts with another CARD domain containing protein called PYCARD (or ASC) and is involved in inflammasome formation and activation of inflammatory processes.