A cleavage-site-directed inhibitor of interleukin 1 beta-converting enzyme-like proteases inhibits apoptosis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes

Apoptosis induced in primary hepatocytes by transforming growth factor beta(1) and staurosporine produces chromatin condensation, DNA cleavage as detected by in situ end-labelling, field inversion and conventional gel electrophoresis, and cell detachment. These effects were abolished by benzyloxycarbonyl-valinylalanylaspartylfluoromethyl ketone, a cleavage-site-directed inhibitor of interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme-like proteases, and this finding suggests that these enzymes are involved in liver apoptosis.