Caspase-7 is an executioner caspase that plays a key role in apoptosis, cancer, and a
number of neurodegenerative diseases. The mechanism of caspase-7 activation by
granzyme B and caspase-3 has been well characterized. However, whether other proteases
such as calpains activate or inactivate caspase-7 is not known. Here, we present that
recombinant caspase-7 is directly cleaved by calpain-1 within the large subunit of caspase-7
to produce two novel products, large subunit p18 and p17. This new form of caspase-7 has a …