Figure 1.

Mitophagy and necroptosis in COPD.

Notes: CS-induced mitochondrial fission and PINK1-dependent mitophagy in epithelial cells are independent of mitochondrial integrity. Aberrant mitophagy may increase the population of impaired mitochondria, leading to induction of necrosome formation. In the necrosome, RIP3 phosphorylates MLKL, and translocation of phosphorylated MLKL to the cell membrane leads to direct pore formation and epithelial cell death with the release of DAMPs.

Abbreviations: CS, cigarette smoke; DAMP, damage-associated molecular pattern; MLKL, mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein; PINK1, PTEN-induced putative kinase protein 1.