The prodomain of caspase-3 regulates its own removal and caspase activation

a Protein expression of caspase-3 and loading control actin of parental MEFs and stable cell lines expressing empty vector pBabe, full-length caspase-3 and two catalytically inactive forms of caspase-3, C163A and C163S. b Caspase-3 activity was measured using a caspase activity assay. Cells were grown in full serum as a control or serum starved for 24？h. A DEVD-chromphore substrate (DEVD-p-NA) was added to the protein lysis, and light emittance was measured at 405？nm. c Cells were serum starved for 0, 24, and 48？h to induce apoptosis. Apoptosis was determined by positive annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) and analyzed for cell death using flow cytometry. Data are presented as mean？± ？SEM of at least three independent experiments. *p？>？0.05, **p？>？0.01, ***p？>？0.00