This Research Topic is part of the DAMPs across the tree of life series:
Volume 1 - PlantsVolume 3 - Human DiseasesAll organisms on the planet use Damage Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) to signal that injury has occurred, in order to initiate repair, remodeling, and immunity. It suggests that DAMPs and DAMPs-initiated signaling systems might be the most primordial form of innate immunity and tissue repair systems in living organisms before sophisticated immune systems evolved. Therefore, studying DAMPs is relevant for various fields, including agriculture, insect control, cancer, wound healing, pregnancy, transplantation, and various inflammatory disorders.
DAMPs are already recognized to be major contributors to rejection in the field of transplantation, and studies are being conducted to minimize their implication in the process. Additionally, research is showing that they also contribute to the rejection of tumors through immunogenic cell death, and efforts are underway to maximize them for cancer eradication. For example, immunogenic cancer cell death incurred by high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) reduced tumor metastasis, suggesting that mechanical and thermal injury of cancer cells by HIFU was sufficient to activate antigen-presenting cells necessary for educating tumor-specific naive T cells. Interestingly, based on the model showing that part of DAMPs has common physical characteristics in terms of water-insolubility, endogenous surfactant molecules in tissues increase water solubility, regulate inflammation and prolong the survival of mice under sepsis. Extracellular DAMPs are recognized by phagocytic receptors on phagocytes in addition to transmitting signals via pattern recognition receptors to activate immune cells. Furthermore, denatured molecules or disorganized molecular complexes in the cytoplasm of cells are specifically recognized and cleared by ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation pathways and autophagy. When the cytoplasmic clearing is not sufficient, cytosolic DAMPs initiate ER stress responses, pyroptosis, and inflammatory responses. In this regard, understanding of regulated cell death and immunity incurred by DAMPs is crucial in modern immunology.
In this Volume addressing regulated cell death generating DAMPs and immune responses initiated by DAMPs, we welcome authors to submit Original Research and Review Articles focusing on, but not limited to, the following sub-topics, related to regulated cell death, innate immunity or adaptive immunity in response to DAMPs, not only in mammals but also in insects or lower invertebrates.
1. DAMPs and regulated cell death in conditions such as viral infections and cancer
2. Recognition of DAMPs and downstream signaling
3. Cellular Stress Responses by DAMPs