Lipids, Sphingolipids and Innate Immunity in Health and Disease

Dear Colleagues,

Lipids and sphingolipids are essential components of a cell plasma membrane with multiple cellular functions, highlighting their importance in cell homeostasis and survival. Currently, lipid dysmetabolism is recognized as one of the main features in many diseases. The toxicity of lipid accumulation (lipotoxicity) was proposed in kidney diseases, cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and some others, suggesting that lipid dysmetabolism could play an important role in the progression of these diseases. Growing evidence suggests that lipotoxicity-associated damage in those diseases depends not only on the quantity of lipids that accumulate but also on the type of lipid species. 

A critical link between lipotoxicity and a form of low-grade systemic and chronic inflammation has also been recently established in different disorders. Several inflammatory biomarkers, such as adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1), cytokines (IL-6, TNF), c-reactive protein, fibrinogen, serum albumin, and white blood cell counts, have been reported to be prognostic to risk-stratify patients for disease progression and all-cause mortality. In addition, increasing evidence supports the involvement of many components of the immune system in disease initiation and progression, including toll-like receptors, C-type lectin receptors, RIG-I-like receptors, intracellular Nod-like receptors, HIN-200 receptors, and the recently discovered cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes pathway (cGAS-STING).

The current Special Issue invites original research and review submissions focused on investigation of the crosstalk between immune system, lipids, and sphingolipids in health and disease. Mechanistic studies using murine models or human specimens unraveling the importance of bioactive lipids as a possible therapeutic approach in the treatment of several diseases are especially encouraged. We hope that this Special Issue of Biomolecules will represent an excellent opportunity to update our current knowledge in the field and to display the different positions of different schools across the world.

Dr. Alla Mitrofanova
Dr. Shamroop Kumar Mallela
Guest Editors

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• Lipids
• Lipid droplets
• Fatty acids
• Sphingolipids
• Inflammation
• Disease
• Innate immunity
• Signaling cascade