Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Death: Implications for Disease Pathogenesis

Although neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are one of the immune system's powerful defense mechanisms against infections, uncontrolled or excessive NET formation can play a harmful role in numerous pathophysiological processes.The literature indicates that nuclear DNA decondensation, the release of granular and cytoplasmic proteins into the extracellular space, ROS production, and the presence of various stimuli are key determinants in NET formation.The activation of lytic and non-lytic NETosis pathways by different triggers indicates that the process is regulated by a context-dependent, complex network.Current findings demonstrate that NETs are not only crucial for infection control but also serve as key regulators in a wide range of pathological conditions, including autoinflammatory diseases, thrombosis, and malignancies.Therefore, understanding the molecular dynamics of NET formation and developing therapeutic strategies targeting NET components hold the potential to open new treatment avenues across a wide range of diseases.