Flipping the dogma - phosphatidylserine in non-apoptotic cell death

The exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) on the outer plasma membrane has long been considered a unique feature of apoptotic cells. Together with other eat me signals, it enables the recognition and phagocytosis of dying cells (efferocytosis), helping to explain the immunologically-silent nature of apoptosis. Recently, however, PS exposure has also been reported in non-apoptotic forms of regulated inflammatory cell death, such as necroptosis, challenging previous dogma. In this review, we outline the evidence for PS exposure in non-apoptotic cells and extracellular vesicles (EVs), and discuss possible mechanisms based on our knowledge of apoptotic-PS exposure. In addition, we examine the outcomes of non-apoptotic PS exposure, including the reversibility of cell death, efferocytosis, and consequent inflammation. By examining PS biology, we challenge the established approach of distinguishing apoptosis from other cell death pathways by AnnexinV staining of PS externalization. Finally, we re-evaluate how PS exposure is thought to define apoptosis as an immunologically silent process distinct from other non-apoptotic and inflammatory cell death pathways. Ultimately, we suggest that a complete understanding of how regulated cell death processes affect the immune system is far from being fully elucidated.