Entosis is induced by ultraviolet radiation

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Entosis is a programmed cell death mechanism involving cell engulfment, observed in cancer and development.
• The precise triggers and regulation of entosis, particularly in response to environmental stressors, remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify novel inducers of entosis in cells exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
• To investigate the relationship between entosis and other cell death pathways like apoptosis and necrosis.

Main Methods:

• Exposure of cells to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
• Analysis of stress-activated kinase signaling pathways (JNK and p38).
• Observation and quantification of entosis, apoptosis, and necrosis rates.
• Pharmacological inhibition of specific cell death pathways.

Main Results:

• JNK and p38 stress-activated kinase signaling were identified as inducers of entosis upon UV exposure.
• Heterogeneity in stress signaling levels within cell populations led to the ingestion and death of highly stressed cells by less stressed neighbors.
• Entosis occurred concurrently with apoptosis and necrosis, forming a mixed-cell death response.
• Inhibition of one cell death pathway (e.g., apoptosis) resulted in increased rates of other pathways (e.g., necrosis or entosis).

Conclusions:

• Stress-activated kinase signaling (JNK/p38) is a newly identified inducer of entosis.
• Entosis is integrated into a broader, parallel cell death response to UV radiation, involving apoptosis and necrosis.
• There is significant cross-talk between distinct cell death mechanisms, where modulating one impacts the others.