간, 췌장 질환에서 Necroptosis

Abstract

Cell death is an integral part of life of an organism that is necessary to maintain organs and tissues. Apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis were noted as three morphologically distinct types of cell death. Apoptosis is a well identified process that is driven by programmed molecular mechanism. Until now, the investigators believed that necrosis was not a programmed molecular event. However, recently, an alternative death pathway called ‘necroptosis’ was delineated and proposed as a form of ‘programmed necrosis’. According to the recent recommendations by the Nomenclature Committee of Cell Death, this term denotes necrotic cell death dependent on receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK3). Its role in a variety of diseases, such as ischemia-perfusion injury, infection, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, steatohepatitis etc., is being elucidated. Necroptosis is currently attracting the attention of the scientific community. Herein we discuss the clinical implications and the role of necroptosis in gastrointestinal tract focusing on liver and pancreatic diseases. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2014;64:182-188)