Detection of the activation of caspases during neuronal cell death by using antiserum specifically recognizing active form of caspases

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Considerable evidence suggests that caspase, a member of cystein protease, plays an essential role in the various cell death including apoptosis and programmed cell death (PCD) and in the cell death observed in the various diseases. However, there is little direct evidence on the involvement of caspases in naturally occurring cell death during development of the vertebrate nervous system and diseases. Caspases are sequentially activated in the caspase cascade, in which activated initial caspases such as caspase 9, caspase 8 and caspase 12 are autoprocessed and then process caspase 3, 6 and 7. To clarify the involvement of caspases in the PCD and neurodegenerative diseases, we prepared cleavage site-directed antiserum against 12 members of caspases that specifically react with the cleaved fragment of caspases, respectively. We have examined directly the activation of caspases during development of mouse embryos and subcellular localization of active form of caspases by immunohistochemical staining using these antisera.