International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Inflammation is a defensive response of the innate and adaptive immune systems against injury and/or harmful microorganisms that restores homeostasis. The importance of inflammatory signaling pathways in diseases has been recognized, and the signaling molecules implicated in these pathways are thought to be promising targets for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Many studies have demonstrated that inflammation-related signaling pathways influence the homeostasis and health of the human gastrointestinal system.

The main goal of this Special Issue is to shed light, through both original research and review articles, on the role of immune inflammatory signaling pathways in gastrointestinal inflammation and tumors, and on the latest progress in understanding the corresponding regulatory mechanisms. We also welcome research papers evaluating strategies to reduce inflammation in inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. Moreover, this Special Issue explores the effects and mechanisms of different signaling pathways in tumors such as gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, as well as inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), intestinal-related sepsis, colonitis and celiac disease. Complete knowledge of the inflammatory signaling pathways could be helpful not only for the prevention but also for the novel treatment of these diseases.

Generally, pure clinical research or model studies, survey studies and correlation research are outside of the scope of IJMS. However, clinical or model studies that involve biomolecular experiments are welcomed.

This Special Issue is supervised by Dr. Diana Di Liberto and Prof. Dr. Marianna Lauricella, who are assisted by our Topical Advisory Panel Member Dr. Giovanni Pratelli (University of Palermo).

Dr. Diana Di Liberto
Prof. Dr. Marianna Lauricella
Guest Editors

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (1 paper)

Review

15 pages, 3475 KiB

Open AccessReview

Eosinophils in Colorectal Cancer: Emerging Insights into Anti-Tumoral Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

by David Lopez-Perez, Belen Prados-Lopez, Julio Galvez, Josefa Leon and Angel Carazo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 6098; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25116098 (registering DOI) - 1 Jun 2024

Abstract

Eosinophils are myeloid effector cells whose main homing is the gastrointestinal tract. There, they take part in type I and type II immune responses. They also contribute to other non-immunological homeostatic functions like mucus production, tissue regeneration, and angiogenesis. In colorectal cancer (CRC), eosinophils locate in the center of the tumor and in the front of invasion and play an anti-tumoral role. They directly kill tumor cells by releasing cytotoxic compounds and eosinophil extracellular traps or indirectly by activating other immune cells via cytokines. As CRC progresses, the number of infiltrating eosinophils decreases. Although this phenomenon is not fully understood, it is known that some changes in the microenvironmental milieu and microbiome can affect eosinophil infiltration. Importantly, a high number of intratumoral eosinophils is a favorable prognostic factor independent from the tumor stage. Moreover, after immunotherapy, responding patients usually display eosinophilia, so eosinophils could be a good biomarker candidate to monitor treatment outcomes. Finally, even though eosinophils seem to play an interesting anti-tumoral role in CRC, much more research is needed to fully understand their interactions in the CRC microenvironment. This review explores the multifaceted roles of eosinophils in colorectal cancer, highlighting their anti-tumoral effects, prognostic significance, and potential as a biomarker for treatment outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammatory Signaling Pathways Involved in Gastrointestinal Diseases: Second Edition)

► Show Figures