Caspases: Possible future targets for subarachnoid hemorrhage research

Abstract

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a serious cerebrovascular event with high morbidity and mortality rates that poses a major public health challenge. The disease mechanisms underlying a poor prognosis in SAH are complex and multifactorial, and an increasing number of studies are now focusing on this topic. Caspases are a conserved family of cysteine-aspartic proteases that play a crucial role in programmed cell death and inflammation. In recent years, some studies have shown that caspases play a key role in SAH; they are considered an extremely promising target. Here, we review the roles of various caspase family members in SAH and provide a perspective to inform future research on caspases.