Caspases are a family of cytosolic aspartate-specific cysteine proteases involved in the initiation and execution of apoptosis. Three distinct signaling pathways lead to programmed cell death (apoptosis). The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is the third apoptotic pathway and caspase-12 is involved. Caspase-12 is activated by ER stress, including disruption of ER calcium homeostasis, and mediates ER stress-induced apoptosis. Caspase-12 is co-localized to the ER with several proteins that are involved in Alzheimer's disease including -gamma-secretase presenilin and beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP).
