Apoptosis and Its Role in Neutrophil Dysfunction in AIDS.

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a mechanism of cell death in many biological processes, including growth and development, normal cell turnover, and tissue remodeling. Apoptosis is also very important in the regulation of immune responses. Apoptosis of B cells and T cells is key in regulating humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Dysregulation and interruption of apoptosis is involved in the clonal proliferation of malignant cells. If pharmaceutical agents could be developed that trigger apoptosis rather than cause tumor necrosis, substantial toxicity could be avoided in cancer treatment. There are other implications for the oncologist as well. Accelerated apoptosis may have significant consequences for the immune system; cancer patients are at risk for infectious complication. One condition where apoptosis seems to have an adverse effect on the immune system is the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). There is considerable evidence that apoptotic cell death significantly contributes to the depletion and dysfunction of CD4+ lymphocytes in AIDS, including cells not infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).