Phagocytic clearance of apoptotic cells: role in lung disease

Abstract

Apoptosis and apoptotic clearance are matched processes that are centered in the maintenance of homeostasis. Similar to apoptosis, apoptotic cell clearance is a conserved mechanism that is highly efficient and redundant, highlighting its overall functional importance in homeostasis. Increasing evidence suggests that the mismatch between apoptosis and apoptotic cell clearance underlies pathologic conditions including inflammatory lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, asthma, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome and cancer immunity. Although direct causality has yet to be established, this paradigm opens novel approaches towards the understanding and treatment of lung diseases. Glucocorticoids, statins and macrolide antibiotics, which are already in use for treating lung conditions, have a positive effect on apoptotic clearance and are among novel agents that are potential candidates for treatment of these disorders.

Keywords::

• acute lung injury
• apoptosis
• apoptotic cell clearance
• asthma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• cystic fibrosis
• efferocytosis
• lung cancer
• phagocytosis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the NIH HL81151, HL68864, HL88138, GM61031 (to PM Henson), HL66554, P50 HL084945 (Project 1) and Alpha 1 Foundation research grants (to RM Tuder). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.