Caspase-8 Fluorometric 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-8 is a caspase protein that cleaves and activates Caspase-3 and is involved in the programmed cell death induced by Fas and different apoptotic stimuli. Caspase-8 was detected in the insoluble fraction of the affected brain region in Huntington disease patients, which suggested it plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases.

 Caspase-8 Fluorometric Assay Kit provides a convenient and simple way for detecting the IETD-dependent caspase activity. IETD-AFC (AFC: 7-amino-4-trifluoromethyl coumarin) emits blue light (λmax = 400 nm); while cleavage of IETD-AFC by Caspase-8 or related caspases, free AFC emits a yellow-green fluorescence (λmax = 505 nm), which can be quantified by using a fluorecence microtiter plate reader or a fluorometer. Comparison of the fluorescence of AFC from an apoptotic sample with an uninduced control determines the fold increase in Caspase-8 activity.