Caspase-9 Colorimetric Assay Kit

Cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases (Caspases) are a family of cysteine proteases that play important roles in apoptosis, necrosis, and inflammation. Sequential activation of caspases plays an important role in cell apoptosis. Caspase-9 is a member of the caspase family. Caspase-9, as well as caspase-2, -8 and -10, is an initiator caspase. Caspase-9 is involved in the mitochondrial death pathway and is activated during apoptosis. The activation of JNK/SAPK stress signaling pathways induces the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and activation of apaf-1, which then cleaves caspase-9 into the active form. The active Caspase-9 cleaves and activates Caspase-3 and Caspase-7, which then cleave poly ADP ribose polymerase.

 Caspase-9 Colorimetric Assay Kit provides a convenient and simple way for detecting the LEHD-dependent caspase activity. When cleavage of LEHD from the labeled substrate LEHD-p-nitroaniline (LEHD-pNA) by Caspase-9 or related caspases, the free pNA light emission can be quantified by using a microtiter plate reader or a spectrophotometer at 405 or 400 nm. Comparison of the absorbance of free pNA from an apoptotic sample with an uninduced control determines the fold increase in Caspase-9 activity.