The Role of the Inflammatory Response in Cell Reprogramming and Transdifferentiation

Cell reprogramming is a process in which fully differentiated cells are converted from one state into another, notwithstanding their naturally programmed fate. Direct cell reprogramming, or transdifferentiation, takes this process a step further and switches cells to an entirely different lineage. Historically considered to be impossible, this discipline has revolutionized our understanding of cell fate and the limits of cell biology. Research into the manipulation of cell fate began in the 1970s with studies involving nuclear transfers and transcription factor delivery but was popularized by the discovery of MYOD-driven fibroblast to myocyte differentiation in 1987 followed by the Yamanaka factors in 2006. Today, cell reprogramming and transdifferentiation are used as research tools. However, with a deeper biological understanding, the technology has immense potential to reprogram dysfunctional cells or replace dying cells from fully differentiated neighbours in the context of disease. Developing the capability to reprogram or transdifferentiate cells both efficiently and precisely would revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine.

Cell reprogramming and transdifferentiation have enormous potential to transform the lives of patients suffering from the plethora of diseases that are driven by the loss of a given cell state. To date, these processes are reported to be inefficient, with few cells converting to the target state, and off-target cell conversion is a safety concern. Little is known about the impact of the innate or adaptive immune response in cell reprogramming, either in response to delivery of the reprogramming factors (such as transcription factors or small molecules), or in response to the converting cells themselves. A better understanding of this topic will help the field combat the current lack of efficiency and specificity in cell reprogramming, bringing it one step closer to becoming a major player in regenerative medicine.

This Research Topic accepts Original Research, Systematic Review, Review and Mini-Review, Clinical Trial, Perspective, Data Report, General Commentary, Opinion. We welcome manuscripts focusing on, but not limited to, the following sub-topics:

• The role of the inflammatory response in cell reprogramming and/or transdifferentiation
• The influence of the innate and/or adaptive immune response on the efficiency of cell reprogramming and/or transdifferentiation
• Inflammatory response to in vivo cell reprogramming and/or transdifferentiation
• Altering the immune response to improve cell reprogramming specificity and efficiency
• Inflammatory response to the delivery of cell-reprogramming factors and its effects on reprogramming

Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation, for instance in an independent patient population or by PCR, are considered out of scope of this section.


Topic Coordinator Regan Hamel is employee of Mogrify Ltd. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.

Keywords: Cell reprogramming, direct cell reprogramming, transdifferentiation, cell conversion, inflammatory response to cell reprogramming

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.