About this Research Topic
Hypertension is a leading cause of global mortality and is the primary modifiable risk factor for renal, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. In recent years, the pivotal role of the immune system in both the initiation and progression of hypertensive disorders has been increasingly recognized. Multiple labs have shown that hypertension is associated with renal inflammation. Renal immune cells are a common feature of both experimental and clinical hypertension, with lymphocytes and macrophages homing to areas of injury. Following infiltration into the kidney immune cells have been shown to exacerbate both renal injury and hypertension. Moreover, immunosuppressive agents have been shown to reduce blood pressure in both clinical and experimental settings. Despite the clear role of the immune system in hypertension, several key questions remain and will be the focus of this Research Topic.
The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight novel and emerging concepts focused on the role of inflammation in hypertensive disorders. Despite the clear involvement of inflammation in hypertensive disorders, several key questions remain. First, the signals involved in the initiation of renal immune cell infiltration have not been fully elucidated, with sympathetic activity, high salt and pressure all implicated. Second, once in the kidney it is important to understand how the immune cells increase blood pressure and renal injury, either directly through the release of oxidative species for example, or indirectly by triggering pathological signaling cascades. Third, in many countries dietary shifts are occurring, from a Mediterranean style diet to a westernized diet. This shift could be associated with a higher risk for developing inflammatory chronic disease and metabolic syndrome. Finally, we would like to highlight novel therapeutic strategies which target the immune system to reduce blood pressure and kidney damage.
This Research Topic is designed to highlight novel studies and concepts focused on the role of inflammation in the hypertensive kidney. The topic will focus the following areas:
1. The mechanisms involved in the attraction of immune cells to the kidney.
2. The mechanisms by which immune cells modulate blood pressure and promote hypertension.
3. Inflammation as a cause and consequence of renal injury
4. Therapeutics to target renal inflammation in hypertension and kidney disease.
This Research Topic will present novel research manuscripts as well as methods papers which may help advance the field.
The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight novel and emerging concepts focused on the role of inflammation in hypertensive disorders. Despite the clear involvement of inflammation in hypertensive disorders, several key questions remain. First, the signals involved in the initiation of renal immune cell infiltration have not been fully elucidated, with sympathetic activity, high salt and pressure all implicated. Second, once in the kidney it is important to understand how the immune cells increase blood pressure and renal injury, either directly through the release of oxidative species for example, or indirectly by triggering pathological signaling cascades. Third, in many countries dietary shifts are occurring, from a Mediterranean style diet to a westernized diet. This shift could be associated with a higher risk for developing inflammatory chronic disease and metabolic syndrome. Finally, we would like to highlight novel therapeutic strategies which target the immune system to reduce blood pressure and kidney damage.
This Research Topic is designed to highlight novel studies and concepts focused on the role of inflammation in the hypertensive kidney. The topic will focus the following areas:
1. The mechanisms involved in the attraction of immune cells to the kidney.
2. The mechanisms by which immune cells modulate blood pressure and promote hypertension.
3. Inflammation as a cause and consequence of renal injury
4. Therapeutics to target renal inflammation in hypertension and kidney disease.
This Research Topic will present novel research manuscripts as well as methods papers which may help advance the field.
Keywords: Hypertensive Disorders, Renal Injury, Inflammation, Kidney, Immunosuppression
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.
