Annexin A: Cell Death, Inflammation, and Translational Medicine.

The annexin superfamily proteins, a family of calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins, are involved in a variety of Ca²-regulated membrane events. Annexin A, expressed in vertebrates, has been implicated in a variety of regulated cell death (RCD) pathways, including apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and neutrophil extracellular trap-induced cell death (NETosis). Given that inflammation is a key driver of cell death, the roles of Annexin A in inflammation have been extensively studied. In this review, we discuss the regulatory roles of Annexin A in RCD and inflammation, the development of related targeted therapies in translational medicine, and the application of animal models to study these processes. We also analyze current challenges and discuss future directions for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.