Antigen: human Apaf-1 amino acids 12-28 (HREALEKDIKTSYIMDHC); the sequence of the peptide is identical between human and mouse · Host: rabbit · Application(s): WB · Apoptosis is related to many diseases and is induced by a family of cell death receptors and their ligands. Cell death signals are transduced by death domain containing adapter molecules and members of the caspase family of proteases. The mammalian homologues of the key cell death gene CED-4 in C. elegans has been identified recently from human and mouse and designated Apaf-1 (apoptosis protease-activating factor 1)^1,2 Apaf-1 binds to cytochrome c (Apaf-2) and caspase-9 (Apaf-3), which leads to caspase-9 activation. Activated caspase-9 in turn cleaves and activates caspase-3, one of the key proteases responsible for the proteolytic cleavage of many key proteins in apoptosis.³ Apaf-1 can also associate with caspase-4 and caspase-8.⁴ Apaf-1 is ubiquitously expressed in human tissues.¹

1 Zou, H., Henzel, W.J., Liu, X., et al. Apaf-1, a human protein homologous to C. elegans CED-4, participates in cytochrome c-dependent activation of caspase-3. Cell 90 405-413 (1997).

2 Cecconi, F., Alvarez-Bolado, G., Meyer, B.I., et al. Apaf1 (CED-4 homolog) regulates programmed cell death in mammalian development. Cell 94 727-737 (1998).

3 Li, P., Nijhawan, D., Budihardjo, I., et al. Cytochrome c and dATP-dependent formation of Apaf-1/caspase-9 complex initiates an apoptotic protease cascade. Cell 91 479-489 (1997).

4 Hu, Y., Benedict, M.A., Wu, D., et al. Bcl-XL interacts with Apaf-1 and inhibits Apaf-1-dependent caspase-9 activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95 4386-4391 (1998).

Cecconi, F., Alvarez-Bolado, G., Meyer, B.I., et al. Apaf1 (CED-4 homolog) regulates programmed cell death in mammalian development. Cell 94 727-737 (1998).

Li, P., Nijhawan, D., Budihardjo, I., et al. Cytochrome c and dATP-dependent formation of Apaf-1/caspase-9 complex initiates an apoptotic protease cascade. Cell 91 479-489 (1997).

Hu, Y., Benedict, M.A., Wu, D., et al. Bcl-XL interacts with Apaf-1 and inhibits Apaf-1-dependent caspase-9 activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95 4386-4391 (1998).

Zou, H., Henzel, W.J., Liu, X., et al. Apaf-1, a human protein homologous to C. elegans CED-4, participates in cytochrome c-dependent activation of caspase-3. Cell 90 405-413 (1997).

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