About this Research Topic
Immunological modulation's potential impact on the heart has been recognized for decades, and clinicians have long understood that acute infection and immune activation can impair cardiac function. There is an intricate network of overlapping inflammatory pathways and immune cell types that coordinates the pathophysiology of cardiac injury and repair. Nonetheless significant contributions of the immune system to normal cardiac function and the immunological response to cardiac injury is complex and poorly known. Consequently, therapeutic strategies targeted at leveraging the strength of immune cells show potential for the development of novel heart disease treatments. An essential aim of cardio-immunology is the targeted control of the immune system as a means to improve cardiac healing and repair.
Therefore, the goal of this themed topic of study is to discover immune modulators/drugs that can directly impact components of the immune response to promote recovery after injury and/or reduce adverse remodeling. For therapeutic intervention, M2-like macrophages, natural killer cells, regulatory T cells, and other engineered immune cells, such as CAR-T cells are particularly interesting research targets of this special issue. As an added bonus, future therapy options exist for aging and failing hearts to the possibility of modifying the immune system to minimize fibrosis and senescence will also be given preference. Overall, this themed topic will accommodate the articles on manipulating the immune system in a specific way to help a damaged heart to make new drugs and therapies.
Manuscripts dealing with complementary medicine or traditional medicine do not fit the scope of this journal.
Topic Editor Dr. Ioakim Spyridopoulos received financial support from Astra Zeneca and Kancera.. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.
Keywords: Inflammation, Immune cells, Cardiovascular diseases, T-cells, Novel drug discovery, immunotherapeutic strategies, Macrophages
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