Western diet and lifestyle contribute to the development of obesity and degenerative diseases known as civilization diseases. Obesity is characterized by hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and an increase of adipose tissue associated with enhanced secretion of adipokines, chemokines, and cytokines. Overall, these metabolic disturbances are part of the so-called metabolic syndrome. Inflammatory cytokines may then impact on immune cell homeostasis and function, promoting several chronic inflammatory diseases. Evidence has been provided for a number of these diseases that dietary measures may help to improve metabolic syndrome and at the same time improve disease activity of diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and depression.
The goal of the present article collection is to update current knowledge about the role of metabolic mechanisms active in chronic inflammatory diseases. This includes the role that dietary measures may play in individual diseases influencing the metabolic disturbances and at the same time disease activity. We will address the question whether metabolic interference may have overlapping features with impact on the diverse spectrum of diseases. We would like to put an emphasis on larger disease entities without trying to cover all diseases that may fall under the term chronic inflammatory. Among these are psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis, and depression. We would like to not include diabetes mellitus, which would fill an own research topic.
We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Clinical Trial articles focusing on but not limited to the following subtopics:
• Update on the role of metabolic factors in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases (e.g., psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel diseases)
• Impact of metabolic factors on pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of inflammation
• Impact of dietary measures on inflammation and disease activity, description of past and ongoing clinical trials to support classical anti-inflammatory treatment
• Outlook regarding recommended dietary and lifestyle measures
Keywords: metabolism; chronic inflammatory diseases; psoriasis; psoriatic arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; lupus erythematosus; scleroderma; inflammatory bowel diseases
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.
