Programmed cell death and its role in inflammation

Cell death plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation and may be the result of inflammation. The maintenance of tissue homeostasis necessitates both the recognition and removal of invading microbial pathogens as well as the clearance of dying cells. In the past few decades, emerging knowledge on cell death and inflammation has enriched our molecular understanding of the signaling pathways that mediate various programs of cell death and multiple types of inflammatory responses. This review provides an overview of the major types of cell death related to inflammation. Modification of cell death pathways is likely to be a logical therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases

Mutations in the polyglutamine binding protein 1 gene cause X-linked mental retardation

Published online 23 November 2003We found mutations in the gene PQBP1 in 5 of 29 families with nonsyndromic (MRX) and syndromic (MRXS) forms of X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). Clinical features in affected males include mental retardation, microcephaly, short stature, spastic paraplegia and midline defects. PQBP1 has previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of polyglutamine expansion diseases. Our findings link this gene to XLMR and shed more light on the pathogenesis of this common disorder.Vera M Kalscheuer, Kristine Freude, Luciana Musante, Lars R Jensen, Helger G Yntema, Jozef Gécz, Abdelaziz Sefiani, Kirsten Hoffmann, Bettina Moser, Stefan Haas, Ulf Gurok, Sebastian Haesler, Beatriz Aranda, Arpik Nshedjan, Andreas Tzschach, Nils Hartmann, Tim-Christoph Roloff, Sarah Shoichet, Olivier Hagens, Jiong Tao, Hans van Bokhoven, Gillian Turner, Jamel Chelly, Claude Moraine, Jean-Pierre Fryns, Ulrike Nuber, Maria Hoeltzenbein, Constance Scharff, Harry Scherthan, Steffen Lenzner, Ben C J Hamel, Susann Schweiger & Hans-Hilger Roper