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Review
. 2025 May 23:16:1604429.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1604429. eCollection 2025.

Macrophage regulated cell death: implications and mechanisms in organ transplantation

Jincheng Hou #  1 , Chenghao Li #  1 , Geng Li #  1 , Wai Yen Yim  1 , Bingchuan Geng  1 , Yuqi Cheng  1 , Zihao Wang  1 , Zhengfeng Fan  1 , Fuqiang Tong  1 , Jiawei Shi  1 , Yixuan Wang  1   2 , Nianguo Dong  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Macrophage regulated cell death: implications and mechanisms in organ transplantation

Jincheng Hou et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Organ transplantation is a critical treatment for end-stage organ failure, but long-term 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: ischemia-reperfusion injury; macrophage cell; organ transplantation; regulated cell death (RCD); transplant rejection.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Impact of macrophage regulated cell death in organ transplantation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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