Triggering of apoptosis by cathepsins

Two recent papers^1,2 have expanded the role of the proteolytic mediators of apoptotic cell death beyond caspases. The newly discovered proteases capable of triggering pro-apoptotic changes in mitochondria are in fact old-fashioned proteins confined to the lysosomes and known for their involvement in non-specific cellular waste disposal, i.e. the cathepsins.

‘Knife and fork are evolutionary optimized tools to dine in a neat and efficient way’. Using this analogy of dining for cell demise and cutlery for caspases, two evident questions arise: are knife and fork sufficient tools in all cases – and, are they always necessary? The first question brings to mind an array of other sophisticated tools developed for eating specific foods like e.g. lobster or fondue. In the cell death world such additional gadgets could correspond to other proteases like the above mentioned cathepsins.³

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