Figure 10.
Caspase inhibition via cysteinyl oxidation in FPI affects caspase-3 preferentially to caspase-9. Cortical lysates were harvested at 24 h from FPI injured animals (2.4 atm) and assayed for caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity using Ac-DEVD-AMC and Ac-LEHD-AFC, respectively (n = 6 animals). A, Effects of incubation with DTT, activated caspase-9 (3 U), or z-VAD-fmk on caspase-3 activity in cortex ipsilateral (right) and contralateral (left) to the FPI. DTT-treated samples exhibited significantly higher levels of caspase-3 proteolytic activity in the ipsilateral cortex compared with the contralateral cortex. B, Effects of incubation with DTT or z-VAD-fmk on caspase-9 activity in cortex ipsilateral (right) and contralateral (left) to the FPI. No significant differences in caspase-9 activity between the ipsilateral and contralateral cortex were observed with any treatment assayed.
