About this Research Topic
Autoimmune diseases arise when the immune system mistakenly targets and damages the body’s cells and tissues as though they were foreign invaders. This widespread category of illnesses, such as Rheumatic Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Type 1 Diabetes, and others, affects millions globally, with a notably higher occurrence in women. These conditions are notable for their diverse immunological manifestations and the critical role of autoantibodies as biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring. Complex interactions among genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors lead to the breakdown in immune self-tolerance and maintenance, yielding varied clinical presentations that can range from severe organ failure to inconspicuous lab findings.
This Research Topic aims to explore and develop therapeutic strategies that selectively target pathogenic elements of the immune system without compromising its overall defensive capabilities. Recent clinical trials have shown sustained and profound elimination of autoreactive B cells by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cells expressing a chimeric autoantibody receptor (CAAR) that specifically targets them to B cells that produce harmful autoantibodies. In the last decade, the application of nanomedicine to autoimmune disease therapy has experienced a dramatic evolution; it consists of the use of nanoparticles (NPs) that carry autoantigens or autoantigenic peptides on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC-NPs). The MHC-NPs act like antigen-presenting cells which induce antigen-specific Treg cell formation.
However, studies are still in the early stages, and further improvements in CAR-T cell and NPs manufacturing, therapy design, and treatment regimens are essential to enhance the efficacy of this therapy for autoimmune diseases significantly. Greater knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying immune system defects may help to develop personalized immunological approaches for treatment keeping the balance between immune system regulation and immune-related side effects.
To gather further insights into the sophisticated mechanisms and novel therapeutic approaches, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying loss of immune tolerance;
o Dynamics of specialized cell subsets, such as regulatory T (Tregs) and B cells (Bregs);
o Novel and selective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of immune system disorders.
This Research Topic aims to explore and develop therapeutic strategies that selectively target pathogenic elements of the immune system without compromising its overall defensive capabilities. Recent clinical trials have shown sustained and profound elimination of autoreactive B cells by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cells expressing a chimeric autoantibody receptor (CAAR) that specifically targets them to B cells that produce harmful autoantibodies. In the last decade, the application of nanomedicine to autoimmune disease therapy has experienced a dramatic evolution; it consists of the use of nanoparticles (NPs) that carry autoantigens or autoantigenic peptides on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC-NPs). The MHC-NPs act like antigen-presenting cells which induce antigen-specific Treg cell formation.
However, studies are still in the early stages, and further improvements in CAR-T cell and NPs manufacturing, therapy design, and treatment regimens are essential to enhance the efficacy of this therapy for autoimmune diseases significantly. Greater knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying immune system defects may help to develop personalized immunological approaches for treatment keeping the balance between immune system regulation and immune-related side effects.
To gather further insights into the sophisticated mechanisms and novel therapeutic approaches, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying loss of immune tolerance;
o Dynamics of specialized cell subsets, such as regulatory T (Tregs) and B cells (Bregs);
o Novel and selective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of immune system disorders.
Keywords: Autoimmune diseases, CAR-T cells, nanoparticles, molecular mechanisms, immunological tolerance, Tregs, Bregs
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.
