The Molecular Mechanisms of Chronic Inflammation Occurrence and Development
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry and Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 168
Special Issue Editor
Interests: atherosclerosis; vascular calcification; neointima; macrophage; inflammation; phenotypic transformation of smooth muscle cell; endothelial dysfunction
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Chronic inflammation is a central driver of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, heart failure, neointima and aortic aneurysms. Despite significant advancements in understanding acute inflammatory responses, the molecular mechanisms underlying persistent, low-grade inflammation in the vasculature and myocardium remain poorly defined. Landmark studies on the identification of immune cell infiltration including macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques and the role of cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, IL-18) in promoting endothelial dysfunction and macrophage polarization have established chronic inflammation as a hallmark of CVD progression. However, critical gaps exist in deciphering how inflammatory signals transition from protective to pathological states, how metabolic dysregulation exacerbates vascular inflammation, and why anti-inflammatory therapies show variable efficacy across patient populations.
Our Special Issue focuses on unraveling the molecular and cellular interplay between chronic inflammation and cardiovascular pathogenesis. We aim to address pivotal questions: how do persistent inflammatory stimuli reprogram immune and stromal cells in the vasculature? What mechanisms sustain unresolved inflammation in conditions like atherosclerosis or post-infarction remodeling? How do epigenetic modifications, non-coding RNA modulate inflammatory cascades in the heart and blood vessels? Answering these questions is essential for developing targeted strategies to halt or reverse inflammation-driven CVDs.
Potential topics include the following:
- Inflammatory pathways in cardiovascular pathogenesis.
- Explore translational and therapeutic innovations related to inflammation (e.g., novel biomarkers of vascular inflammation, nanomedicine for targeted delivery agents).
- Interactions between macrophages, T cells, neutrophils, and vascular cells.
- Epigenetic regulation (e.g., DNA methylation, histone acetylation) and non-coding RNAs (e.g., miRNAs, lncRNAs) in sustaining vascular inflammation.
Dr. Meixiu Jiang
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- atherosclerosis
- vascular calcification
- neointima
- macrophage
- inflammation
- phenotypic transformation of smooth muscle cell
- endothelial dysfunction
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