REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.

Sec. Alloimmunity and Transplantation

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1604429

This article is part of the Research TopicLocalized Immunomodulation Approaches for Transplantation ToleranceView all 3 articles

Macrophage Regulated Cell Death: Implications and Mechanisms in Organ Transplantation

Provisionally accepted
Jincheng HouJincheng Hou1Chenghao LiChenghao Li1Geng LiGeng Li1Wai Yen YimWai Yen Yim1Bingchuan GengBingchuan Geng1Yuqi ChengYuqi Cheng1子豪 王子豪 王1Zhengfeng FanZhengfeng Fan1Fuqiang TongFuqiang Tong1Jiawei ShiJiawei Shi1*Yixuan WangYixuan Wang1,2*Guo Nian DongGuo Nian Dong1,2*
  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
  • 2Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China, Wuhan, Hebei Province, China

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Organ transplantation is a critical treatment for end-stage organ failure, but longterm graft survival remains suboptimal due to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and transplant rejection. The immune microenvironment, especially macrophages, plays a key role in these processes. Various forms of regulated cell death (apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis) in macrophages significantly influence transplant rejection by mediating cellular communication and shaping the immune microenvironment. Apoptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis and necroptosis in macrophages exacerbate graft rejection while autophagy in macrophages protects against transplant rejection by reducing inflammation.This paper reviews the specific molecular mechanisms of macrophage regulated cell death, their impact on the IRI and transplant rejection, thus further provide potential therapeutic target for improving transplant outcomes.

Keywords: Macrophage - cell, Regulated cell death (RCD), Organ Transplantation, ischemia-reperfusion injury, transplant rejection

Received: 01 Apr 2025; Accepted: 06 May 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Hou, Li, Li, Yim, Geng, Cheng, 王, Fan, Tong, Shi, Wang and Dong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Jiawei Shi, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China
Yixuan Wang, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China
Guo Nian Dong, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China

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