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Nature Cell Biology 9, 621 - 622 (2007)
doi:10.1038/ncb0607-621

Caspase-14 and epidermis maturation

Pierluigi Nicotera1 & Gerry Melino1

  1. Pierluigi Nicotera and Gerry Melino are in the Medical Research Council Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, PO Box 138, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN. Gerry Melino also works in the University of Rome Tor Vergata, via Montpellier 1, 00133-Rome, Italy. e-mail: gm89@leicester.ac.uk


Caspases are proteases that regulate apoptosis as well as inflammation. Denecker et al. show that caspase-14 controls the maturation of the epidermis by proteolytically processing filaggrin. The ultimate products of this cleavage prevent UVB photodamage and water loss, affecting skin osmolarity and moisture. Although this work sets caspase-14 apart from its family members, it also reinforces their role in host defence responses.

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