Apoptosis, Autophagy, Necrosis and Their Multi Galore Crosstalk in Neurodegeneration

Area of Science:

• Neurobiology
• Cellular Biology
• Pathology

Background:

• Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by significant neuron and glial cell loss.
• Neuronal cell death occurs via multiple mechanisms including necrosis, necroptosis, autophagy, and apoptosis.
• These cell death pathways are regulated by specific molecular determinants with overlapping functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review molecules that regulate and switch between different neuronal cell death paradigms in neurodegeneration.
• To highlight the crosstalk between various cell death pathways mediated by these molecules.
• To identify potential therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases based on pathway interactions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on neurodegeneration and cell death mechanisms.
• Analysis of molecular determinants involved in switching between necrosis, necroptosis, autophagy, and apoptosis.
• Examination of crosstalk and inter-dependent regulation of cell death pathways.

Main Results:

• Several molecules, including Atg1, Beclin1, LC3, p53, TRB3, and RIPK1, play critical roles in switching between cell death mechanisms.
• Numerous novel molecules exhibit potential for cross-communication between death pathways, creating complex cell death scenarios.
• Inter-dependent regulation and pathway crosstalk are central to cell death in neurodegeneration.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the intricate crosstalk between cell death pathways is crucial for neurodegeneration research.
• Identifying key molecular switches offers promising avenues for developing targeted therapies for neurodegenerative disorders.
• Further research into novel molecules mediating pathway communication can uncover new therapeutic strategies.