Apoptotic cell death in disease-Current understanding of the NCCD 2023

Apoptosis is a form of regulated cell death (RCD) that involves proteases of the caspase family. Pharmacological and genetic strategies that experimentally inhibit or delay apoptosis in mammalian systems have elucidated the key contribution of this process not only to (post-)embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis, but also to the etiology of multiple human disorders. Consistent with this notion, while defects in the molecular machinery for apoptotic cell death impair organismal development and promote oncogenesis, the unwarranted activation of apoptosis promotes cell loss and tissue damage in the context of various neurological, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, infectious, neoplastic and inflammatory conditions. Here, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) gathered to critically summarize an abundant pre-clinical literature mechanistically linking the core apoptotic apparatus to organismal homeostasis in the context of disease.

Automated summary

Apoptosis is a regulated cell death process involving caspase family proteases. Inhibiting or delaying apoptosis experimentally through pharmacological and genetic strategies has demonstrated its importance in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and the pathogenesis of various human disorders. Defects in apoptotic cell death machinery impair development and promote oncogenesis, while inappropriate activation of apoptosis contributes to cell loss and tissue damage in neurological, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, infectious, neoplastic, and inflammatory conditions.