FIGURE 5.

Class II AMP induced increases in Ca²⁺-dependent caspase-12-like activity. A, parasites were treated for 2 h with pexiganan (C-II) under standard conditions and then assessed for caspase-12-like activity using the fluorescent caspase-12 substrate. The specificity of the activity was tested by preincubation of cells with a caspase-12 specific inhibitor prior to analysis of caspase-12 activity. B, the effects of nonspecific (FFA) and voltage-gated (verapamil, Vpl) calcium channel inhibitors on caspase-12-like activity were tested as described for A, except the cells were preincubated with the designated inhibitors for 30 min prior to incubation with AMP. The Ca²⁺ ATPase thapsigargin (TG) was also included as a positive control for release of cytosolic calcium.