It is conceivable therefore that the lower activities of caspase-1 in BE(2)-m17 and SK-n-MCIXC (especially following their exposure to LCA) make these NB cell lines more susceptible to LCA-induced apoptosis than Lan-1, in which a relatively high activity of caspase-1 is not reduced by LCA. The gene discussed is CASP1; the disease is neuroblastoma.