Phagosomal reactive oxygen species (ROS) are strategically employed by leukocytes to kill internalized pathogens and degrade cellular debris. Nevertheless, uncontrolled oxidant bursts could cause serious collateral damage to phagocytes or other host tissues, potentially accelerating aging and compromising host viability. Immune cells must, therefore, activate robust self-protective programs to mitigate these undesired effects, and yet allow crucial cellular redox signaling. Here, we dissect in vivo the molecular nature of these self-protective pathways, their precise mode of activation, and physiological effects. We reveal Drosophila embryonic macrophages activate the redox-sensitive transcription factor Nrf2 upon corpse engulfment during immune surveillance, downstream of calcium- and PI3K-dependent ROS release by phagosomal Nox. By transcriptionally activating the antioxidant response, Nrf2 not only curbs oxidative damage but preserves vital immune functions (including inflammatory migration) and delays the acquisition of senescence-like features. Strikingly, macrophage Nrf2 also acts non-autonomously to limit ROS-induced collateral damage to surrounding tissues. Cytoprotective strategies may thus offer powerful therapeutic opportunities for alleviating inflammatory or age-related diseases.
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