Cytokines as Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Conditions: Concerns, Pitfalls, Boundaries and Future Perspectives
A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Biology and Pathology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 4936
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cytokines are low-weight glycoproteins that mediate communication between immunological cells, but also other activated cells at the inflammation site. The historical classification that is based on first discoveries of action of these substances recognizes several cytokine subgroups, including interleukines (ILs), interferons, cytokines with cytotoxic effects, colony-stimulating factors, chemokines and other cytokines. In a narrow sense, the term “cytokines” involves ILs that primarily originate from immunological cells, cytokines of innate immunity, such as IL-1b, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), IL-6, IL-12, IL-18 and IL-23, and cytokines of adaptive immunity, such as IL-2, interferon-gamma (IFN-g), IL-5, IL-9, IL-17 and immunosuppressive cytokines, like IL-4, IL-10, IL-37 and IL-38. Cytokines are biologically very potent compounds, which act in picogrammes, including autocrine (on the cell of origin), paracrine (on nearby cells) and, less often, endocrine (on distant cells) modes of action.
The well-defined cytokine signaling pathways were the basis for the use of a variety of cytokines and molecules as signaling pathways in immunotherapy for a range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including cancers and hematological malignancies. Although immunotherapy has changed the course and outcomes of many diseases with an underlying immune pathogenesis, a decision on when to use such treatment is not always straightforward. This decision is particularly difficult to make in elderly people and in complex chronic conditions associated with the presence of multiple comorbidities. There are no recommendations to use biological therapy in cardio-metabolic conditions, despite evidence indicating a close association between these disorders and chronic inflammation. Particularly challenging is the evaluation of cytokines as diagnostic biomarkers because of their great variability, which depends on changes in physiological conditions, patient lifestyles and on characteristics of the examined population.
The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an update of the efficacy and safety of cytokine-based therapy under real-life conditions, with an emphasis on concerns, pitfalls, boundaries and future perspectives of using this therapy in elderly patients and in complex chronic inflammatory disorders. The aim is also to evaluate the limitations of cytokine diagnostic abilities and define conditions under which cytokines can be used as reliable diagnostic biomarkers. Submissions dealing with the topics mentioned in the keywords listed below are welcome.
Dr. Ljiljana Trtica Majnarić
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- cytokines
- chronic diseases
- complex conditions
- elderly patient groups
- malignancies
- therapy
- diagnostic abilities
- boundaries
- perspectives
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.