Advanced Research on Mast Cells in Inflammation and Immunity

Dear Colleagues,

Mast cells (MCs) are bone marrow stem-cell-derived tissue cells that contribute to allergic reactions, inflammatory diseases, innate and adaptive immunity, autoimmunity, and mental disorders, and are involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases. MCs are multifunctional immune sentinel cells, well-known for their involvement in hypersensitivity and allergic diseases. They are important sources of soluble mediators contained in their granules such as histamine, heparin, and proteases that mediate IgE-dependent anaphylactic reactions. MCs play a key role in host defense and can be activated not only by IgE, but also by immune complexes, complements C3a and C5a, toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists (i.e. IL-1 and TNF), and neuropeptides (i.e., substance P, neurotensin and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)). In the innate immune response, MCs can be activated by cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF, inducing an inflammatory response. On the other hand, MCs can suppress the immune response by producing IL-10. Therefore, MCs can intervene in the immune response in a positive or negative way, an effect that depends on the cellular reactivity. Furthermore, studies using mice which were genetically deficient in MCs demonstrated that these cells play a key role as initiators, amplifiers, and regulators of acquired IgE-mediated immune responses such as allergic and inflammatory reactions. The suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines may represent a new therapeutic strategy against inflammatory disorders.

This Special Issue is concerned with understanding MC immune dysregulation which leads to allergy, inflammation, and other pathologies, in order to understand the pathogenesis of these diseases, the clinical implications, and possible therapeutic treatments.

We welcome both reviews and original research papers addressing these topics in the field of MC biology. We accept research and review articles related to the pathophysiological role of MCs in mucosal surfaces (respiratory, intestinal, and female reproductive mucosa), brain tissue, and the immune system in general.

Prof. Dr. Pio Conti
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. Biomolecules 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 2700 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.

• mast cells
• allergy
• immunity
• pseudo-allergy
• autoimmune diseases
• psoriasis
• cytokines
• IgG
• neuroimmunology