Polyclonal Antibody to DFF45/35 (human) (NT)

Deregulation of apoptosis is related to a variety of diseases. Apoptosis can be induced by a family of cell death receptors within the TNF receptor family and their ligands. Cell death signals are transduced by death domain containing adapter molecules and members of the caspase family of proteases. These death signals finally cause the degradation of chromosomal DNA by activated DNase. A human 45 kDa DNA fragmentation factor (DFF45) was identified recently that was cleaved by caspase-3 during apoptosis [1]. The mouse homologue of human DFF45 was identified as a DNase inhibitor designated ICAD [2,3]. DFF45(ICAD) have short forms that were termed DFF35 and ICADs, respectively, [2,4]. Upon cleavage of DFF45(ICAD), the caspase activated deoxyribonuclease (DFF40,CAD) is released and activated and eventually causes the degradation of DNA in the nuclei [2-5]. Therefore, the cleavage of DFF45(ICAD) causes DFF40(CAD) activation and DNA degradation, which is the hallmark of apoptotic cell death [6-8].