Transcriptomic analysis unveils correlations between regulative apoptotic caspases and genes of cholesterol homeostasis in human brain

Caspases are cysteine-proteases with key roles in the execution phase of apoptosis. Additional cellular activities, unrelated to cell death seem to be influenced by these enzymes. Identification of genes co-regulated with caspases could help to ascertain new biological roles for these proteases.To identify genes and pathways under the influence of caspase-2 we silenced its expression in U87MG glioblastoma cell line. Transcriptional expression profiles of cells transfected with caspase-2 siRNA or control siRNA were compared. Gene expression profiling was evaluated from 2 replicates of U87MG cells transfected with CASP2-siRNA, or with Control-siRNA.