Tissue damage, Cell death and Danger signals in Transplantation

  • 8,394

    Total downloads

  • 39k

    Total views and downloads

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

Tissue damages −resulting from either ischemia reperfusion injury in the setting of solid organ transplantation or conditioning regimens before allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation− are considered involved in the initiation of deleterious immune responses leading to graft rejection or to the development of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). These tissue damages lead to the release of alarmins and to the triggering of pathogen-recognition receptors (PRR) that activate innate immune cells and subsequently the adaptive immune system. Heparan sulfate, ATP, High mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1), or defensins may participate to ischemia reperfusion injury or GvHD triggering in experimental models. It has been demonstrated that the activation of PRR −such as the NLPR3/ASC inflammasome complex− or IL-1 receptors triggers experimental acute GvHD. In Humans, single nucleotide polymorphisms of PRR, such as TLR4 or NOD2/CARD15 may impact the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation or solid organ transplantation. Finally, soluble ST2 −a member of IL-1 receptor family− has been recently identified as a biomarker of steroid-resistant acute GvHD in several patient cohorts. All these data highlight the role of endogenous danger signals resulting from tissue damage as major deleterious factors in transplantation outcome. Different forms/types of cell death have been recently identified and the different signaling pathways that are involved are currently being deciphered. Some of these cell death processes are rather immunologically inert or associated with immune tolerance. For instance, apoptosis is associated with immunomodulatory properties that have been harnessed in different experimental transplantation models to favor tolerance. A recent clinical study reports the use of early donor apoptotic cell infusion in order to prevent GvHD. However, immunogenic apoptotic cell death has also been described, notably after the use of anti-cancer chemotherapeutic drugs that can be used in conditioning regimens. The immunostimulatory effects of immunogenic apoptosis are related to the release of damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP), such as calreticulin or ATP. Other cell death processes can occur during the transplantation settings, such as necroptosis which plays a role in ischemia reperfusion injury or pyroptosis associated with bioactive IL-1 secretion. Furthermore, while its definitive link with neutrophil cell death is a matter of debate, NETosis can also provide immunostimulatory signals during ischemia reperfusion injury favoring graft rejection. Thus, cell death mechanisms occurring during the transplantation procedures −including either solid organ storage or after conditioning regimens− may influence transplantation outcome. The immunogenicity of cell death is under the control of DAMP and alarmin release.

The goal of this research topic is to link tissue damage, cell death and DAMP in transplantation settings. In other words, the objective of this research topic is to determine how current processes including solid organ storage, conditioning regimens, or other iatrogenic procedures, may generate such DAMP release or a particular cell death process. Another objective is to determine how therapeutic approaches may limit the occurrence of DAMP release or of immunogenic cell death, or may harness it in order to improve transplantation outcome. Indeed, harnessing tolerogenic cell death is an interesting approach to favor transplantation tolerance. The therapeutic effects of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) −a therapeutic approach used in both solid organ and in the treatment of GvHD− may be related to its capacity to generate apoptotic cell death. This collection of articles aims to promote interactions between researchers involved in solid organ transplantation (e.g., liver, kidney, heart and composite tissue, such as face transplantation) and in hematopoietic cell transplantati

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.

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.