Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Immune Disease

Dear Colleagues,

The term 'autoimmune disease' refers to a group of conditions characterized by immune disturbances that alter the reaction of the body's T and B cells to normal constituents of the body. An interplay between genetic predisposition, epigenetics, the environment, infection and microbiota alters their pathogenesis. Clinical and laboratory evaluations of an autoimmune illness are complementary and provide a better understanding of the disease. Multiple laboratory tests are needed and include basic studies such as a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, acute-phase reactants, immunologic studies, serologies, flow cytometry, cytokine analysis and HLA typing. However, some tests may be non-specific, such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), while traditional therapies, such as glucocorticoids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have long been used as a means of treating autoimmune diseases that do not specifically target inflammation, newer and more tailored biologic and molecular immune treatments are rapidly becoming the standard of care in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

In the current research topic proposal, we aim to focus on recent progress in understanding the role of autoimmunity in the development and progression of immune diseases. Ultimately this should facilitate moving into a new era of personalized, and hopefully more effective, treatment of immune diseases.

We welcome original research, reviews and mini-reviews covering, but not limited to, the following subjects:

• Immunologic pathways involved in immune diseases pathogenesis;
• Immune disease cohort study;
• The role of autoimmunity in immune disease development and progression;
• Novel approaches for the diagnosis of immune diseases;
• New biologic therapies for immune disease treatment.

Dr. Miriana D'Alessandro
Dr. Lucia Vietri
Guest Editors

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• immune disease treatment
• autoimmunity
• biomarkers
• treatment
• immunology