Caspase-8 (F5K9P) Rabbit mAb (BSA and Azide Free) recognizes endogenous levels of total caspase-8 protein, including the p10 subunit of the activated protein.

Monoclonal antibody is produced by immunizing animals with a synthetic peptide corresponding to residues surrounding Pro394 of human caspase-8 protein.

Apoptosis induced through the CD95 receptor (Fas/APO-1) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) activates caspase-8 and leads to the release of the caspase-8 active fragments, p18 and p10 (1-3). Activated caspase-8 cleaves and activates downstream effector caspases such as caspase-1, -3, -6, and -7. Caspase-3 ultimately elicits the morphological hallmarks of apoptosis, including DNA fragmentation and cell shrinkage.

In addition to functioning as a key initiator caspase for extrinsic apoptosis, more recent studies have identified caspase-8 as a regulator of inflammatory necrotic cell death pathways such as necroptosis and pyroptosis (4,5). Activation of caspase-8 leads to cleavage of RIPK1 and RIPK3 to inhibit necroptosis (6,7). As a result, caspase-8 deficiency in mice, which is embryonic lethal, can be rescued by deletion of the necroptosis proteins RIPK3 or MLKL (8-11). Additionally, in some circumstances, caspase-8 is recruited to the inflammasome to trigger pyroptosis (12,13). Studies have also found that expression of an enzymatically inactive form of caspase-8 (C362S) causes embryonic lethality by inducing necroptosis and pyroptosis (14).