Sensing sterile injury: opportunities for pharmacological control

Sterile injury can trigger an acute inflammatory response, which might be responsible for the pathogenesis of several diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lung fibrosis and acute liver failure. A key event for the pathogenesis of these diseases is the recruitment of leukocytes to necrotic areas. Much is known about the mechanisms of recruitment to sites of infection. However, only now is it becoming clear how leukocytes, especially neutrophils, are recruited to areas of tissue damage and necrosis in the absence of infection. Here, we review and discuss mechanisms responsible for sensing and driving the influx of leukocytes, specifically neutrophils, into sites of sterile injury. This knowledge clearly opens new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.