Drugging the efferocytosis process: concepts and opportunities

Parul Mehrotra, Kodi S. Ravichandran

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

138 Scopus citations

Abstract

The daily removal of billions of apoptotic cells in the human body via the process of efferocytosis is essential for homeostasis. To allow for this continuous efferocytosis, rapid phenotypic changes occur in the phagocytes enabling them to engulf and digest the apoptotic cargo. In addition, efferocytosis is actively anti-inflammatory and promotes resolution. Owing to its ubiquitous nature and the sheer volume of cell turnover, efferocytosis is a point of vulnerability. Aberrations in efferocytosis are associated with numerous inflammatory pathologies, including atherosclerosis, cancer and infections. The recent exciting discoveries defining the molecular machinery involved in efferocytosis have opened many avenues for therapeutic intervention, with several agents now in clinical trials.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)601-620
Number of pages20
JournalNature Reviews Drug Discovery
Volume21
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2022

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