Nuclear apoptotic changes: An overview

Apoptosis is a form of active cell death essential for morphogenesis, development, differentiation, and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. The activation of genetically controlled specific pathways that are highly conserved during evolution results in the characteristic morphological features of apoptosis that are mainly evident in the nucleus. These include chromatin condensation, nuclear shrinkage, and the formation of apoptotic bodies. The morphological changes are the result of molecular alterations, such as DNA and RNA cleavage, post‐translational modifications of nuclear proteins, and proteolysis of several polypeptides residing in the nucleus. During the last five years our understanding of the process of apoptosis has dramatically increased. However, the mechanisms that lead to apoptotic changes in the nucleus have been only partially clarified. Here, we shall review the most recent findings that may explain why the nucleus displays these striking modifications. Moreover, we shall take into consideration the emerging evidence about apoptotic events as a trigger for the generation of autoantibodies to nuclear components. J. Cell. Biochem. 82: 634–646, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.