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Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death
Published on: December 27, 2016
Urocortin 1 and Urocortin 2 induce macrophage apoptosis via CRFR2
Christos Tsatsanis1, Ariadne Androulidaki, Erini Dermitzaki
1Department of Clinical Chemistry-Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete GR-710 03, Greece. tsatsani@med.uoc.gr
Abstract:
Macrophages undergo apoptosis as a mechanism of regulating their activation and the inflammatory reaction. Macrophages express the Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor-2 (CRFR2) the endogenous agonists of which, the urocortins, are also present at the site of inflammation. We have found that urocortins induced macrophage apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner via CRFR2. In contrast to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced apoptosis, the pro-apoptosis pathway activated by urocortins involved the pro-apoptotic Bax and Bad proteins and not nitric oxide, JNK and p38MAPK characteristic of LPS. In conclusion, our data suggest that endogenous CRFR2 ligands exert an anti-inflammatory effect via induction of macrophage apoptosis.
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