Inflammation in Ischemic Stroke and Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Stroke Treatment

  • 6,140

    Total downloads

  • 29k

    Total views and downloads

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

Inflammation in Ischemic Stroke and Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Stroke Treatment

Stroke is one of most frequent causes of death and long-term disability in the world. An ischemic stroke occurs due to a blockage in a major cerebral blood vessel, starving downstream tissue of oxygen and nutrients, which leads to cell death within minutes in the core of the infarct. Dying cells release pro-inflammatory signals that activate resident astrocytes/microglia and initiate immune cell infiltration from the periphery into the damaged tissue, contributing to blood-brain barrier disruption and exacerbating cell death in a process known as secondary inflammation that persists days to weeks after the initial insult. Understanding the molecular components of repair and damage mechanisms can be used as potential biomarkers in current and future treatment for stroke. Stem cell therapy is currently regarded as a hot research area, promising clinical therapeutic modality for ischemic stroke. The advent of cell-engineering approaches is expected to provide a new generation of stem cell-based therapies, greatly expanding their therapeutic utility for different traumatic and neurodegenerative diseases including ischemic stroke.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated the significance of the inflammatory response exacerbating brain injury in ischemic stroke and anti-inflammatory strategies are effective in ameliorating damage from experimental stroke, although it has yet to be explored at the clinical level. Targeting the inflammatory cascade offers a promising alternative to tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) or mechanical thrombectomy. These two strategies, approved by FDA for stroke treatment, have potential limitations or complications of their own including a narrow treatment time window (<4.5 hours) and risk of hemorrhagic transformation. More recently, derivatives of pluripotent stem cells are used with the aim of increasing the functional recovery of damaged brain tissue following post-ischemic stroke. These next-generation stem cells are being engineered with different therapeutic molecules to accelerate the repair of damaged tissues. The goal of this Research Topic is to collect manuscripts that elucidate the underlying roles of neuroinflammation in ischemic stroke and report novel therapeutic strategies, especially stem cell therapies, to improve stroke outcomes from experimental stroke models to clinical trials. This Research Topic is expected to provide deep understanding the role of neuroinflammation in the acute and recovery phases of ischemic stroke and gather research on the development of novel strategies for stroke treatment.

We therefore welcome submissions of Original Research, Systematic Reviews, Clinical Trials or Brief Research Reports, which explore the role of inflammation in the context of ischemic stroke or identify novel strategies to reduce stroke injuries. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Role of astroglial/microglial activation and neutrophil and macrophage infiltration in ischemic brain

• Role of inflammatory mediators such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cytokines/chemokines and oxidative stress in ischemic stroke

• Transcriptional regulation of inflammation in ischemic stroke

• Effects of neuroinflammation on blood-brain barrier function in ischemic stroke

• Dual roles of inflammatory factors in the acute and recovery phases of ischemic stroke

• Assessment of novel approaches or therapeutic strategies for the treatment of ischemic stroke, and the potential use of different types of stem cells for cell-based therapy for ischemic stroke. Special consideration will be given to new engineering approaches and areas in which they will help broaden the utility and clinical application of stem cell therapy for ischemic stroke.

Keywords: ischemic stroke, neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier, matrix metalloproteinases, oxidative stress, stem cells

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.

Topic editors

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.

     

Impact

  • 29kTopic views
  • 22kArticle views
  • 6,140Article downloads
View impact