Keystone Symposia: Why So Many Ways to Die? Apoptosis, Necroptosis, Pyroptosis and Beyond

Cell death is linked to diverse physiological and pathological conditions. In addition to the well-defined apoptosis versus accidental necrosis paradigm, novel processes of programmed cell death, necroptosis and pyroptosis, in particular, have been described over the last years. Our knowledge about the molecular machineries that control these cell death processes has expanded substantially with the discovery of key regulators and effectors, such as the gasdermins, mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL), and receptor-interacting protein (RIP) kinases. We have learned that apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, autophagic cell death and other cell death processes are all equipped with individual sets of regulatory and effector molecules but can also share constituents that can interconnect the distinct cell death pathways. Moreover, several alternative cell death programs may operate in any given circumstances with distinct consequences to the immune response and to the development of inflammatory disorders. Last, but not least, cell death may not be the sole or even the major fate/purpose of cells that engage inflammatory cell death pathways. Understanding of the role of the different regulators and effectors of each cell death processes is essential for the development of therapeutic tools for cancer, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory pathologies. Thus, this conference proposes to bring together specialists from diverse areas of cell death research from around world to explore these crucial issues to develop a better understanding of the relative, additive and/or redundant contributions of the distinct cell death pathways in health and disease.

Topics: cell biology, cell death, apoptosis