Related Articles
Insights on the crosstalk among different cell death mechanisms
The phenomenon of cell death has garnered significant scientific attention in recent years, emerging as a pivotal area of research. Recently, novel modalities of cellular death and the intricate interplay between them have been unveiled, offering insights into the pathogenesis of various diseases. This comprehensive review delves into the intricate molecular mechanisms, inducers, and inhibitors of the underlying prevalent forms of cell death, including apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, necroptosis, mitophagy, and pyroptosis. Moreover, it elucidates the crosstalk and interconnection among the key pathways or molecular entities associated with these pathways, thereby paving the way for the identification of novel therapeutic targets, disease management strategies, and drug repurposing.
Cell-associated galectin 9 interacts with cytotoxic T cells confers resistance to tumor killing in nasopharyngeal carcinoma through autophagy activation
Immune effector cells, including cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play essential roles in eliminating cancer cells. However, their functionality is often compromised, even when they infiltrate the tumor microenvironment (TME) or are transferred to cancer patients adoptively. In this study, we focused on galectin 9 (G9), an inhibitory ligand that we observed to be predominately positioned on the plasma membrane and readily interacts with CD8 + CTL in the TME of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We discovered that cell-cell contact between activated effector CTLs and target tumor cells (TarTC) with G9 overexpression led to cellular death defects. Despite the formation of CTL–TarTC conjugates, there is no impact on the cell number nor viability of CTL, and the release of cytolytic content and associated activity were not completely abrogated. Instead, this interaction promoted autophagy and restricted necrosis in the TarTC. Furthermore, reducing G9 expression in tumor cells enhanced the suppressive effect on tumor growth upon adoptive transfer of activated effector CTL. Additionally, inhibiting autophagy effectively controlled tumor growth in cases of G9 overexpression. Therefore, we highlight the contribution of G9 in facilitating the resistance of NPC to CTL-mediated killing by inducing a selection-cell death state in tumor cells, characterized by increased autophagy and decreased necrosis.
CeDaD—a novel assay for simultaneous tracking of cell death and division in a single population
The cell division cycle and the various forms of programmed cell death are interconnected. A prominent example is the tumor suppressor p53, which not only induces apoptosis but also plays an important role in the arrest of the cell cycle. Consequently, simultaneous analysis of cell division and cell death is frequently of significant interest in cell biology research. Traditionally, these processes require distinct assays, making concurrent analysis challenging. To address this, we present a novel combined assay, called CeDaD assay—Cell Death and Division assay—which allows for the simultaneous quantification of cell division and cell death within a single-cell population. This assay utilizes a straightforward flow cytometric approach, combining a staining based on carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) to monitor cell division with an annexin V-derived staining to assess the extent of cell death.
Different types of cell death and their interactions in myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury
Myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury is a multifaceted process observed in patients with coronary artery disease when blood flow is restored to the heart tissue following ischemia-induced damage. Cardiomyocyte cell death, particularly through apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, is pivotal in myocardial I/R injury. Preventing cell death during the process of I/R is vital for improving ischemic cardiomyopathy. These multiple forms of cell death can occur simultaneously, interact with each other, and contribute to the complexity of myocardial I/R injury. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive summary of the key molecular mechanisms and regulatory patterns involved in these five types of cell death in myocardial I/R injury. We will also discuss the crosstalk and intricate interactions among these mechanisms, highlighting the interplay between different types of cell death. Furthermore, we will explore specific molecules or targets that participate in different cell death pathways and elucidate their mechanisms of action. It is important to note that manipulating the molecules or targets involved in distinct cell death processes may have a significant impact on reducing myocardial I/R injury. By enhancing researchers’ understanding of the mechanisms and interactions among different types of cell death in myocardial I/R injury, this review aims to pave the way for the development of novel interventions for cardio-protection in patients affected by myocardial I/R injury.
Personalized bioceramic grafts for craniomaxillofacial bone regeneration
The reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial bone defects remains clinically challenging. To date, autogenous grafts are considered the gold standard but present critical drawbacks. These shortcomings have driven recent research on craniomaxillofacial bone reconstruction to focus on synthetic grafts with distinct materials and fabrication techniques. Among the various fabrication methods, additive manufacturing (AM) has shown significant clinical potential. AM technologies build three-dimensional (3D) objects with personalized geometry customizable from a computer-aided design. These layer-by-layer 3D biomaterial structures can support bone formation by guiding cell migration/proliferation, osteogenesis, and angiogenesis. Additionally, these structures can be engineered to degrade concomitantly with the new bone tissue formation, making them ideal as synthetic grafts. This review delves into the key advances of bioceramic grafts/scaffolds obtained by 3D printing for personalized craniomaxillofacial bone reconstruction. In this regard, clinically relevant topics such as ceramic-based biomaterials, graft/scaffold characteristics (macro/micro-features), material extrusion-based 3D printing, and the step-by-step workflow to engineer personalized bioceramic grafts are discussed. Importantly, in vitro models are highlighted in conjunction with a thorough examination of the signaling pathways reported when investigating these bioceramics and their effect on cellular response/behavior. Lastly, we summarize the clinical potential and translation opportunities of personalized bioceramics for craniomaxillofacial bone regeneration.
Responses