Cell death in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases The role of HMGB1 and DAMP-PAMP complexes

摘要

Cell death is a ubiquitous process whose immuno-logical consequences can influence the course of infectious, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. While cell death has long been dichotomised in terms of apoptosis and necrosis, other forms of death can occur and they vary in their capacity to stimulate as well as inhibit inflammation. The pro-inflammatory activity of dead cells results from a wide variety of intracellular molecules that are released as cell permeability increases during death. These molecules have been termed as DAMPs (damage-associated molecular patterns) or alarmins. Among these DAMPs, HMGB1, a non-histone nuclear protein, serves as the prototype.