Since apoptosis was first described in 1972, other programmed cell death pathways have been defined and intensively investigated, such as necroptosis, NETosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis. In recent years, ferroptosis and cuproptosis, two newly discovered cell death pathways, gradually become two hot research topics. In a general way, apoptotic cells disintegrate into apoptotic bodies which are usually eliminated by macrophages, leading to their noninflammatory nature while necrotic cells disrupt and release DAMPs, inducing inflammatory and immune responses.
Increasing evidence has indicated that necrosis (including NETosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis) plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of autoimmune diseases. However, the exact roles of diverse types of cell death in autoimmune diseases are unknown. Does only one type of cell death play a predominant role in the pathogenesis and development of one autoimmune disease? Or do different types of cell death play different roles during the different stages of the autoimmune disease (especially of systemic lupus erythematosus, a highly heterogeneous autoimmune disease)? Would the newly discovered cell death, cuproptosis, be either a friend or a foe in autoimmune diseases? Whether necrosis of immune cells and non-immune cells have the same effect? Further studies that focus on promising therapeutic strategies targeting cell death pathways for autoimmune diseases are needed. For example, GSDME-mediated pyroptosis has been reported to contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. However, up to date, it lacks specific inhibitors of GSDME.
In this Research Topic, we hope more researchers to clarify the relationships between diverse types of cell death and autoimmune diseases from a deeper level. We believe that these scientific discoveries will expand our understanding of the link between programmed cell death and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, it will provide valuable evidence for treating autoimmune diseases. The finding of inhibitors or agonists targeting cell death processes at different steps can become effective therapeutic and research drugs for autoimmune diseases.
We welcome any submissions of Original Research, Review, and Mini-Review articles covering the following subtopics, but not limited to:
1. Apoptosis in autoimmune diseases.
2. Necroptosis in autoimmune diseases.
3. Autophagy in autoimmune diseases.
4. Pyroptosis in autoimmune diseases.
5. Ferroptosis in autoimmune diseases.
6. Cuproptosis in autoimmune diseases.
7. Other programmed cell death in autoimmune diseases.
8. Candidate drugs targeting cell death pathways in autoimmune diseases.
Since apoptosis was first described in 1972, other programmed cell death pathways have been defined and intensively investigated, such as necroptosis, NETosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis. In recent years, ferroptosis and cuproptosis, two newly discovered cell death pathways, gradually become two hot research topics. In a general way, apoptotic cells disintegrate into apoptotic bodies which are usually eliminated by macrophages, leading to their noninflammatory nature while necrotic cells disrupt and release DAMPs, inducing inflammatory and immune responses.
Increasing evidence has indicated that necrosis (including NETosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis) plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of autoimmune diseases. However, the exact roles of diverse types of cell death in autoimmune diseases are unknown. Does only one type of cell death play a predominant role in the pathogenesis and development of one autoimmune disease? Or do different types of cell death play different roles during the different stages of the autoimmune disease (especially of systemic lupus erythematosus, a highly heterogeneous autoimmune disease)? Would the newly discovered cell death, cuproptosis, be either a friend or a foe in autoimmune diseases? Whether necrosis of immune cells and non-immune cells have the same effect? Further studies that focus on promising therapeutic strategies targeting cell death pathways for autoimmune diseases are needed. For example, GSDME-mediated pyroptosis has been reported to contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. However, up to date, it lacks specific inhibitors of GSDME.
In this Research Topic, we hope more researchers to clarify the relationships between diverse types of cell death and autoimmune diseases from a deeper level. We believe that these scientific discoveries will expand our understanding of the link between programmed cell death and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, it will provide valuable evidence for treating autoimmune diseases. The finding of inhibitors or agonists targeting cell death processes at different steps can become effective therapeutic and research drugs for autoimmune diseases.
We welcome any submissions of Original Research, Review, and Mini-Review articles covering the following subtopics, but not limited to:
1. Apoptosis in autoimmune diseases.
2. Necroptosis in autoimmune diseases.
3. Autophagy in autoimmune diseases.
4. Pyroptosis in autoimmune diseases.
5. Ferroptosis in autoimmune diseases.
6. Cuproptosis in autoimmune diseases.
7. Other programmed cell death in autoimmune diseases.
8. Candidate drugs targeting cell death pathways in autoimmune diseases.
