About this Research Topic

Background

Inflammation is considered to be a key player in cardiovascular remodeling processes including atherosclerosis and heart failure. Circulating components from the immune system like cytokines may serve as biomarkers that may predict disease progression and/or outcome. However, the role of the immune system and inflammation in the pathophysiological process is complex and not always well understood due to its many interactions and contradictory effects in the different phases of the disease. This may, at least partly, explain why attempts regarding immunomodulation have not always been successful in the past. Furthermore, novel antibody therapeutic strategies in e.g. rheumatology and cancer may harm the heart via cardiotoxicity or induction of myocarditis. Better understanding of the immune system and its role in cardiovascular remodeling by studying gender influence, microbiome, circulating cells and local inflammatory processes will help us to use the immune system to our advantage in the fight against and reduce the burden of these important chronic debilitating diseases.

In this Research Topic, we want to focus on the different components of the immune system that can potentially influence the cardiovascular remodeling process. We want to better understand how we can use parts of the immune system as biomarkers, but also in particular in which phase of the disease they might be helpful. In addition, it is important how new insights such as gender differences and the influence of the microbiome may play a role. We also find it important to look for new therapies or strategies that exert their work through immunomodulation but also how antibody therapies used against e.g. cancer cause harm to the heart.

We are looking for interesting pilot data, novel research papers (preclinical as well as clinical) or reviews on the role of inflammation and (potential) immunomodulation strategies in cardiovascular remodeling processes such as atherosclerosis, heart failure and cardiotoxicity/myocarditis. This can be, for example, the process of atherosclerotic plaque formation, but also remodeling after a heart attack or the pathophysiological process within heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or myocarditis during cancer treatment with antibody therapy. We are also happy to consider submission on a diseases such as stroke or aneurysm. We believe it is important to pay attention to themes such as gender differences or the role of the microbiome, but this is not a specific requirement.

Keywords: Inflammation, remodeling, atherosclerosis, heart failure, immunomodulation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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