A vast literature strongly supports pivotal roles for caspase 1 and IL1-beta
in inflammation and ischemia. However, due to the lack of a leader sequence in
IL1-beta, its real time detection in live systems, as well as the detection of
caspase 1 activity in response to inflammatory stimuli in relevant cells, have
been quite difficult. Using OncoImmunin's cell permeable fluorogenic substrates
and new screening image analysis system, imaging and quantitative analysis of
caspase 1 induction in live cells by a variety of inflammogens, is now possible.
Below are murine peritoneal exudate cell (PEC) images which show induced and
control cells and quantitation thereof. Similar analyses are possible with other
model systems, e.g., the neuroinflammatory model of EAE
