Apoptosis can be mediated by mechanisms other than the traditional caspase-mediated cleavage cascade. There is growing recognition that alternative proteolytic enzymes such as the lysosomal cathepsin proteases may initiate or propagate proapoptotic signals. Cathepsins are lysosomal enzymes that are also used as sensitive markers in various toxicological investigations. The Cathepsin-D Activity Assay kit is a fluorescence-based assay that utilizes the preferred cathepsin-D substrate sequence GKPILFFRLK(Dnp)-D-R-NH2) labeled with MCA. Cell lysates or other samples that contain cathepsin-D will cleave the synthetic substrate to release fluorescence, which can then easily be quantified using a fluorometer or fluorescence plate reader at Ex/Em = 328/460 nm.

Figure 1: Cathepsin D assays were performed using various numbers of Jurkat Cells as indicated. Results were analyzed by fluorescence plate reader according to the kit instructions.