Background

This gene CASP8 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.

Images

	Western blotting analysis using anti-Caspase 8 antibody (Cat#69176). Total cell lysates (30 μg) from various cell lines were loaded and separated by SDS-PAGE. The blot was incubated with anti-Caspase 8 antibody (Cat#69176, 1:5,000) and HRP-conjugated goat anti-rabbit secondary antibody (Cat#201, 1:20,000) respectively. Image was developed using FeQ™ ECL Substrate Kit (Cat#226).
	Western blotting analysis using anti-Caspase-8 antibody (Cat#69176). Caspase-8 expression in wild type (WT) and Caspase-8 shRNA knockdown (KD) HeLa cells with 20 μg of total cell lysates. Hsp90 α serves as a loading control. The blot was incubated with anti-Caspase-8 antibody (Cat#69176, 1:5,000) and HRP-conjugated goat anti-rabbit secondary antibody (Cat#201, 1:20,000) respectively. Image was developed using NaQ™ ECL Substrate Kit (Cat#716).
	Flow cytometric analysis of Caspase 8 beta expression in HeLa cells using Caspase 8 beta antibody (Cat#69176, 1:2,000). Green, isotype control; red, Caspase 8.
	Immunocytochemical staining of HepG2 cells with anti-caspase 8 antibody (Cat#69176, 1:1,000). Nuclei were stained blue with DAPI; Caspase 8 was stained magenta with Alexa Fluor® 647. Images were taken using Leica stellaris 5. Protein abundance based on laser Intensity and smart gain: Medium. Scale bar: 20 μm.