Background:
Thiol protease involved in a variety of inflammatory processes by proteolytically cleaving other proteins, such as the precursors of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) and interleukin 18 (IL18) as well as the pyroptosis inducer Gasdermin-D (GSDMD), into active mature peptides (PubMed:15326478, PubMed:15498465, PubMed:1574116, PubMed:26375003, PubMed:32051255, PubMed:37993714, PubMed:7876192, PubMed:9334240). Plays a key role in cell immunity as an inflammatory response initiator: once activated through formation of an inflammasome complex, it initiates a pro-inflammatory response through the cleavage of the two inflammatory cytokines IL1B and IL18, releasing the mature cytokines which are involved in a variety of inflammatory processes (PubMed:15326478, PubMed:15498465, PubMed:1574116, PubMed:32051255, PubMed:7876192).