Biomedical
Forms of Non-Apoptotic Cell Death and Their Role in Gliomas—Presentation of the Current State of Knowledge
Reinhold Nafe,
Elke Hattingen
Peer Reviewed
Abstract
In addition to necrosis and apoptosis, the two forms of cell death that have been known for many decades, other non-apoptotic forms of cell death have been discovered, many of which also play a role in tumors. Starting with the description of autophagy more than 60 years ago, newer forms of cell death have become important for the biology of tumors, such as ferroptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and paraptosis. In this review, all non-apoptotic and oncologically relevant forms of programmed cell death are presented, starting with their first descriptions, their molecular characteristics, and their role and their interactions in cell physiology and pathophysiology. Based on these descriptions, the current state of knowledge about their alterations and their role in gliomas will be presented. In addition, current efforts to therapeutically influence the molecular components of these forms of cell death will be discussed. Although research into their exact role in gliomas is still at a rather early stage, our review clarifies that all these non-apoptotic forms of cell death show significant alterations in gliomas and that important insight into understanding them has already been gained.
Key Questions and Answers
1. What are the non-apoptotic cell death forms relevant to gliomas?
Non-apoptotic forms like autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and cuproptosis are crucial for glioma biology.
2. How do these cell death mechanisms impact glioma growth?
These forms regulate tumor survival, influence cell death, and can either promote or inhibit glioma progression.
3. What are the potential therapeutic targets in gliomas?
Modulating these cell death pathways offers new potential for glioma treatment, including targeted therapies.
4. What are the research gaps in understanding these cell death forms in gliomas?
Despite progress, more research is needed to explore their precise role in gliomas for therapeutic breakthroughs.
