Selective inhibitors of apoptotic caspases: implications for novel therapeutic strategies.

Caspases are essential for apoptosis. A crucial question regarding the role(s) of these proteases is whether the selective inhibition of an effector caspase will prevent cell death. We have identified potent, selective non-peptide inhibitors of the effector caspases 3 and 7. Apoptosis can be inhibited and cell functionality maintained using an inhibitor selective for caspases 3 and 7. This has important therapeutic implications and the potential to generate novel anti-apoptotic strategies in diseases that involve dysregulated apoptosis.