Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.8
5.6
Journals
IJMS
Special Issues
Inflammation in Health and Disease: New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues...
ijms-logo
Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Inflammation in Health and Disease: New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues 3.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 7910

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Morena Scotece

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: inflammation; fibrotic diseases; autoimmune diseases; rheumatology; drug discovery; natural molecules
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The inflammatory response is a highly evolved and complex process that allows the mobilization of leukocytes from circulation to injured tissues, where they remove pathogens and repair the tissue for its functional recovery. Under normal conditions, the inflammatory response is a self-limiting process that ends with the resolution of the inflammation and the restoration of tissue homeostasis. However, alterations in the mechanisms that regulate the promotion or the resolution of the inflammatory response cause the development of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes. Moreover, it is well-described that inflammation is involved in the onset and progression of many other disorders not typically classified as autoimmune diseases, e.g., cancer, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, and fibrotic diseases. For that reason, the study and the understanding of the specific mechanisms that lead to aberrant inflammatory responses is crucial for the development of novel therapies for many different pathologies.

This Special Issue seeks basic and translational original and review articles focused on inflammation in health and disease. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, acute inflammation, chronic inflammation, resolution of inflammation, immunotherapy, and immune system regulation or infection.

Dr. Morena Scotece
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. 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.

Keywords

  • inflammation
  • inflammation resolution
  • autoimmune disease
  • cancer
  • immunotherapy
  • obesity
  • cardiovascular diseases
  • neurological disorders
  • respiratory diseases
  • liver diseases
  • fibrotic diseases

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

11 pages, 2182 KiB  
Article
Nerve Growth Factor Shows Biphasic Expression during Adjuvant-Induced Neurogenic Inflammation
by Vikramsingh Gujar, Radhika D. Pande and Subhas Das
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 4029; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25074029 - 4 Apr 2024
Viewed by 614
Abstract
Chronic inflammatory diseases are considered the most significant cause of death worldwide. Current treatments for inflammatory diseases are limited due to the lack of understanding of the biological factors involved in early-stage disease progression. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor directly [...] Read more.
Chronic inflammatory diseases are considered the most significant cause of death worldwide. Current treatments for inflammatory diseases are limited due to the lack of understanding of the biological factors involved in early-stage disease progression. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor directly associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases like osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It has been shown that NGF levels are significantly upregulated at the site of inflammation and play a crucial role in developing a robust inflammatory response. However, little is known about NGF’s temporal expression profile during the initial progressive phase of inflammation. This study aimed to determine the temporal expression patterns of NGF in rat skin (epidermis) during adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control and complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-treated groups. Levels of NGF were evaluated following unilateral AIA at different time points, and it was found that peripheral inflammation due to AIA significantly upregulated the expression of NGF mRNA and protein in a biphasic pattern. These results suggest that NGF signaling is crucial for initiating and maintaining peripheral neurogenic inflammation in rats during AIA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammation in Health and Disease: New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues 3.0)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 1299 KiB  
Article
Cannabidiol as a Promising Therapeutic Option in IC/BPS: In Vitro Evaluation of Its Protective Effects against Inflammation and Oxidative Stress
by Tadeja Kuret, Mateja Erdani Kreft, Rok Romih and Peter Veranič
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 5055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24055055 - 6 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2285
Abstract
Several animal studies have described the potential effect of cannabidiol (CBD) in alleviating the symptoms of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the urinary bladder. However, the effects of CBD, its mechanism of action, and modulation of downstream signaling [...] Read more.
Several animal studies have described the potential effect of cannabidiol (CBD) in alleviating the symptoms of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the urinary bladder. However, the effects of CBD, its mechanism of action, and modulation of downstream signaling pathways in urothelial cells, the main effector cells in IC/BPS, have not been fully elucidated yet. Here, we investigated the effect of CBD against inflammation and oxidative stress in an in vitro model of IC/BPS comprised of TNFα-stimulated human urothelial cells SV-HUC1. Our results show that CBD treatment of urothelial cells significantly decreased TNFα-upregulated mRNA and protein expression of IL1α, IL8, CXCL1, and CXCL10, as well as attenuated NFκB phosphorylation. In addition, CBD treatment also diminished TNFα-driven cellular reactive oxygen species generation (ROS), by increasing the expression of the redox-sensitive transcription factor Nrf2, the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase 1 and 2, and hem oxygenase 1. CBD-mediated effects in urothelial cells may occur by the activation of the PPARγ receptor since inhibition of PPARγ resulted in significantly diminished anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of CBD. Our observations provide new insights into the therapeutic potential of CBD through modulation of PPARγ/Nrf2/NFκB signaling pathways, which could be further exploited in the treatment of IC/BPS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammation in Health and Disease: New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues 3.0)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2405 KiB  
Article
MKP-1 Deficiency Exacerbates Skin Fibrosis in a Mouse Model of Scleroderma
by Morena Scotece, Mari Hämäläinen, Tiina Leppänen, Katriina Vuolteenaho and Eeva Moilanen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4668; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054668 - 28 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1695
Abstract
Scleroderma is a chronic fibrotic disease, where proinflammatory and profibrotic events precede collagen accumulation. MKP-1 [mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase-1] downregulates inflammatory MAPK pathways suppressing inflammation. MKP-1 also supports Th1 polarization, which could shift Th1/Th2 balance away from profibrotic Th2 profile prevalent in [...] Read more.
Scleroderma is a chronic fibrotic disease, where proinflammatory and profibrotic events precede collagen accumulation. MKP-1 [mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase-1] downregulates inflammatory MAPK pathways suppressing inflammation. MKP-1 also supports Th1 polarization, which could shift Th1/Th2 balance away from profibrotic Th2 profile prevalent in scleroderma. In the present study, we investigated the potential protective role of MKP-1 in scleroderma. We utilized bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis model as a well-characterized experimental model of scleroderma. Dermal fibrosis and collagen deposition as well as the expression of inflammatory and profibrotic mediators were analyzed in the skin samples. Bleomycin-induced dermal thickness and lipodystrophy were increased in MKP-1-deficient mice. MKP-1 deficiency enhanced collagen accumulation and increased expression of collagens, 1A1 and 3A1, in the dermis. Bleomycin-treated skin from MKP-1-deficient mice also showed enhanced expression of inflammatory and profibrotic factors IL-6, TGF-β1, fibronectin-1 and YKL-40, and chemokines MCP-1, MIP-1α and MIP-2, as compared to wild-type mice. The results show, for the first time, that MKP-1 protects from bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis, suggesting that MKP-1 favorably modifies inflammation and fibrotic processes that drive the pathogenesis of scleroderma. Compounds enhancing the expression or activity of MKP-1 could thus prevent fibrotic processes in scleroderma and possess potential as a novel immunomodulative drug. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammation in Health and Disease: New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues 3.0)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

19 pages, 2206 KiB  
Review
A Systematic Review of Tear Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and External Eye Diseases
by Jaclyn Chan, Gavril Lim, Ryan Lee and Louis Tong
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(3), 1369; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031369 - 23 Jan 2024
Viewed by 882
Abstract
We aim to summarize the current evidence of Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)s in external eye diseases and determine whether serum and plasma VEGF levels are associated with tear and ocular surface tissues. A systematic search of PUBMED and EMBASE was conducted using [...] Read more.
We aim to summarize the current evidence of Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)s in external eye diseases and determine whether serum and plasma VEGF levels are associated with tear and ocular surface tissues. A systematic search of PUBMED and EMBASE was conducted using PRISMA guidelines between October 2022 and November 2023, with no restriction on language or publication date. Search terms included relevant MESH terms. These studies were evaluated for quality, and an assessment of the risk of bias was also carried out. Extracted data were then visually represented through relevant tables or figures. The initial literature search yielded 777 studies from PUBMED, 944 studies from EMBASE, and 10 studies from manual searches. Fourteen eligible studies were identified from 289 articles published from 2000 to 2023 in the English language or with English translations, including rabbit models, murine models, and human-derived samples. Most studies were retrospective in nature and case–control studies. Various common external eye diseases, such as dry eye disease (DED) and allergic eye disease were investigated. Despite limitations and small sample sizes, researchers have found elevated tissue levels of the VEGF in the vascularized cornea, especially in animal models, but there is no evidence of clear changes in the tear concentrations of VEGF in DED and allergic eye disease. Tear VEGF is associated with corneal vascularization. Anti-VEGF therapies may have the potential to manage such conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammation in Health and Disease: New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues 3.0)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 406 KiB  
Review
The Essential Role of microRNAs in Inflammatory and Autoimmune Skin Diseases—A Review
by Klaudia Dopytalska, Anna Czaplicka, Elżbieta Szymańska and Irena Walecka
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(11), 9130; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24119130 - 23 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1846
Abstract
The etiopathogenesis of autoimmune skin diseases is complex and still not fully understood. The role of epigenetic factors is emphasized in the development of such diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a group of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs—non-coding RNAs), are one of the important post-transcriptional epigenetic factors. [...] Read more.
The etiopathogenesis of autoimmune skin diseases is complex and still not fully understood. The role of epigenetic factors is emphasized in the development of such diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a group of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs—non-coding RNAs), are one of the important post-transcriptional epigenetic factors. miRNAs have a significant role in the regulation of the immune response by participating in the process of the differentiation and activation of B and T lymphocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Recent advances in research on epigenetic factors have provided new insights into the pathogenesis and potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets of many pathologies. Numerous studies revealed a change in the expression of some microRNAs in inflammatory skin disorders, and the regulation of miRNA expression is a promising therapeutic goal. This review presents the state of the art regarding changes in the expression and role of miRNAs in inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases, including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, lichen planus, hidradenitis suppurativa, and autoimmune blistering diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammation in Health and Disease: New Insights and Therapeutic Avenues 3.0)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop