Overview of studies on the non-apoptotic programmed cell death of neutrophils

Abstract

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) are the main effector cells of innate immune responses and the important inflammactory cells in human body.Recently,research data indicated that there might exist a form of non-apoptotic programmed cell death in PMN,which resembled neither apoptosis nor necrosis.The morphologic changes of the PMN death are characterized by vacuolization and an increase in mitochondria permeability.The biochemical changes of the PMN death are characterized by caspase-3 and caspase-8-independent,and no DNA fragmentation.This form of non-apoptotic programmed cell death of PMN may be related to ontogeny and some physiologic/pathologic phenomena in humay body,although the exact biological significance of the PMN death remains unclear.These research may provide a new thinking of the variety and complexity of programmed cell death of PMN. Key words: Polymorphonuclear neutrophils; Programmed cell death of PMN; Non-apoptotic programmed cell death:DNA fragmentation