Entosis: the core mechanism and crosstalk with other cell death programs

Cell death pathways play critical roles in organism development and homeostasis as well as in the pathogenesis of various diseases. While studies over the last decade have elucidated numerous different forms of cell death that can eliminate cells in various contexts, how certain mechanisms impact physiology is still not well understood. Moreover, recent studies have shown that multiple forms cell death can occur in a cell population, with different forms of death eliminating individual cells. Here, we aim to describe the known molecular mechanisms of entosis, a non-apoptotic cell engulfment process, and discuss signaling mechanisms that control its induction as well as its possible crosstalk with other cell death mechanisms. Cell death, a complex process, can happen through various mechanisms, including entosis. Entosis, first identified as a non-apoptotic cell death program, involves one cell engulfing another, causing the death of the internalized cell. However, the exact molecular mechanisms and factors controlling entosis are unclear. In this study, the authors review recent findings uncovering the molecular regulation of entosis and dicuss its potential implications in cancer. They discuss how entosis is controlled by a network of regulations involving cell adhesion, the RhoA-ROCK signaling pathway, and actomyosin contraction. Interestingly, entosis can occur alongside other cell death forms in populations, suggesting it may influence how cell groups respond to stress. The study concludes that entosis may contribute to aggressive cancers' development by favoring cells with low tension setpoints, promoting the creation of aneuploid cell lineages, and supporting cell lineages with large scavenged nutrient sources.This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author.