Redox Regulation of Immune and Inflammatory Responses

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 February 2026 | Viewed by 730

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Guest Editor
Department of Immunology and Parasitology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Interests: IL-1 signaling; NF-κB; particulate matter; neutrophil
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleague,

The immune system and inflammatory responses are indispensable processes at the forefront of host defense. Recent research has illuminated the central role of strict redox (oxidation–reduction) state control within these complex biological reactions. Once considered merely cytotoxic agents, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are now recognized as crucial intracellular signaling molecules, fine-tuning immune cell activation, differentiation, and the production of inflammatory cytokines. Crucially, these redox signals often converge on key transcription factors like NF-κB (Nuclear Factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells), directly influencing gene expression, which is critical for inflammatory and immune responses.

This Special Issue, "Redox Regulation of Immune and Inflammatory Responses", aims to explore how the balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant defense optimizes hosts’ protective mechanisms or, conversely, contributes to pathological conditions. We focus on the functions of key antioxidant pathways like NADPH oxidase (NOX) and mitochondrial ROS production in immune cells, and the glutathione and thioredoxin systems. Particular attention will be given to how their dysregulation, often mediated through altered NF-κB activation, is implicated in the onset and progression of a wide range of diseases, including autoimmune disorders, chronic inflammation, and infections.

Deepening our understanding in this field will not only lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for inflammatory diseases, but also re-emphasize the importance of redox balance in maintaining overall health. We hope that this Special Issue serves as a bridge between redox biology and immunology, contributing to future advancements in research.

Dr. Yasuhiro Yoshida
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • immune system
  • inflammatory responses
  • cytokines
  • immune cells
  • autoimmune disorders
  • chronic inflammation
  • and infections

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 11114 KB  
Article
Deinoxanthin-Enriched Extracellular Vesicles from Deinococcus radiodurans Drive IL-10–Dependent Tolerogenic Programming of Dendritic Cells
by Jeong Moo Han, Jaeyoon Lim, Woo Sik Kim, Bo-Gyeong Yoo, Jong-Hyun Jung, Sangyong Lim and Eui-Baek Byun
Antioxidants 2025, 14(9), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14091108 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 458
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from bacteria are emerging as potent bioactive carriers that affect host immunity. Deinococcus radiodurans, an extremophilic bacterium with strong antioxidant capacity, produces EVs enriched in deinoxanthin (DX), a carotenoid with a reactive oxygen species–scavenging activity. Here, we assessed [...] Read more.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from bacteria are emerging as potent bioactive carriers that affect host immunity. Deinococcus radiodurans, an extremophilic bacterium with strong antioxidant capacity, produces EVs enriched in deinoxanthin (DX), a carotenoid with a reactive oxygen species–scavenging activity. Here, we assessed the antioxidant activity of D. radiodurans-derived EVs (R1-EVs) in biochemical assays and their immunomodulatory effects on dendritic cells (DCs). R1-EVs exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity than EVs from a DX-deficient mutant strain (ΔcrtI-EVs), consistent with DX enrichment. Bone marrow-derived DCs treated with R1-EVs in the presence of lipopolysaccharide displayed reduced expression of surface maturation markers and pro-inflammatory cytokines, while interleukin-10 (IL-10) production and antigen uptake were preserved, indicating a tolerogenic phenotype. This tolerogenic program led to decreased proliferation and cytokine production in allogeneic CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, R1-EVs inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways, key regulators of the DC activation. Importantly, IL-10 neutralization reversed these effects, restoring DC and T cell activation. Notably, ΔcrtI-EVs showed weaker antioxidant and immunoregulatory activities. Together, our findings identify R1-EVs as dual-functions, DX- and IL-10-dependent nanoplatform that integrates antioxidant and tolerogenic properties, with potential applications in inflammatory and autoimmune disease control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Redox Regulation of Immune and Inflammatory Responses)
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