About this Research Topic
Fibroproliferative disease accounts for 45% of deaths worldwide. Fibrosis is a consequence of dysregulated tissue repair triggered by various etiological factors such as pathogens, allergens, pollution, toxic injury, metabolic dysfunction, and autoimmune and genetic disorders.
Despite efforts to decipher disease pathogenesis, less than a handful of anti-fibrotic drugs are FDA-approved, restricted to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and, since early 2024, to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH).
Inflammation is a key process that contributes to fibrogenesis, and the crosstalk between parenchymal cells, immune cells, and collagen-producing cells appears to be a promising area for identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Recently, with the advance of single-cell transcriptomics, multi-OMICS approaches, CRISPR technology, and lessons learned from many clinical trials on anti-fibrotic drugs, we are beginning to understand in more depth the complexity of fibrosis pathogenesis that could lead to better clinical interventions to improve the quality of life of patients affected by fibrosis and reduce mortality.
In this research topic, we aim to gather a collection of state-of-the-art and up-to-date articles covering recent advances in immunological aspects of fibrosis pathogenesis. This interdisciplinary initiative will provide a forum to discuss the similarities and differences among different fibroproliferative diseases and exchange success stories and challenges the scientific community faces to achieve the ultimate goals of improved therapeutic interventions and diagnostic and staging tools. Submission of basic and translational original articles, reviews, and mini reviews on the following topics are particularly welcome:
• Liver, lung, kidney, heart, gut and skin fibrogenesis
• Novel therapeutical targets and interventions,
• Host-pathogen interactions,
• The role of the microbiome in fibrosis pathogenesis,
• Crosstalk between parenchymal cells, immune cells, and fibroblasts,
• Epithelial-stromal cell interactions in fibrosis progression,
• Validation and Discovery of novel urine and blood-based morbidity biomarkers,
• Efforts on combinational therapy for fibroproliferative diseases,
• Immunometabolism and fibrosis,
• Novel in vitro and in vivo models of fibrosis,
• Immune cell diversity in fibrosis and cell-type specific target therapy,
• Immunomodulation in fibroproliferative diseases,
• Resolution of fibrosis,
• Fibrosis and cancer.
Despite efforts to decipher disease pathogenesis, less than a handful of anti-fibrotic drugs are FDA-approved, restricted to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and, since early 2024, to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH).
Inflammation is a key process that contributes to fibrogenesis, and the crosstalk between parenchymal cells, immune cells, and collagen-producing cells appears to be a promising area for identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Recently, with the advance of single-cell transcriptomics, multi-OMICS approaches, CRISPR technology, and lessons learned from many clinical trials on anti-fibrotic drugs, we are beginning to understand in more depth the complexity of fibrosis pathogenesis that could lead to better clinical interventions to improve the quality of life of patients affected by fibrosis and reduce mortality.
In this research topic, we aim to gather a collection of state-of-the-art and up-to-date articles covering recent advances in immunological aspects of fibrosis pathogenesis. This interdisciplinary initiative will provide a forum to discuss the similarities and differences among different fibroproliferative diseases and exchange success stories and challenges the scientific community faces to achieve the ultimate goals of improved therapeutic interventions and diagnostic and staging tools. Submission of basic and translational original articles, reviews, and mini reviews on the following topics are particularly welcome:
• Liver, lung, kidney, heart, gut and skin fibrogenesis
• Novel therapeutical targets and interventions,
• Host-pathogen interactions,
• The role of the microbiome in fibrosis pathogenesis,
• Crosstalk between parenchymal cells, immune cells, and fibroblasts,
• Epithelial-stromal cell interactions in fibrosis progression,
• Validation and Discovery of novel urine and blood-based morbidity biomarkers,
• Efforts on combinational therapy for fibroproliferative diseases,
• Immunometabolism and fibrosis,
• Novel in vitro and in vivo models of fibrosis,
• Immune cell diversity in fibrosis and cell-type specific target therapy,
• Immunomodulation in fibroproliferative diseases,
• Resolution of fibrosis,
• Fibrosis and cancer.
Keywords: Fibrosis, Pathogenesis, immune cells, therapeutic targets, biomarkers, immune response, host-pathogen interactions, microbiome, immunomodulation, immunometabolism, drug discovery, antibodies, immune cell diversity, fibrotic niche, cancer, extracellular matrix, fibrosis resolution
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.
