Casp3 is involved in the activation cascade of caspases responsible for apoptosis execution. At the onset of apoptosis it proteolytically cleaves poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) at a '216-Asp-|-Gly-217' bond, cleaves and activates sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) between the basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper domain and the membrane attachment domain, cleaves and activates caspase-6, -7 and -9, triggers cell adhesion in sympathetic neurons through RET cleavage, cleaves IL-1 beta between an Asp and an Ala, releasing the mature cytokine which is involved in a variety of inflammatory processes.