Cell-Cell Interactions and Cell Adhesion Signaling in Disease States

Dear Colleagues,

Tissue and organ development is critically regulated by intercellular adhesion proteins which control the assembly of biological barriers; controlling cell polarity and differentiation and aiding orchestrated movement of cell clusters during tissue morphogenesis and repair. These adhesion proteins cluster into elaborate cell–cell adhesion complexes whose dynamic assembly, maintenance and disassembly are controlled by a plethora of exogenous and endogenous signaling factors. In turn, cell–cell adhesion complexes act as versatile environmental sensors and signal transducers that ignite a variety of intracellular molecular and signaling pathways. Collectively, adhesion signaling pathways exert regulatory control at multiple levels, ranging from pre-transcriptional to post-translational; and over downstream functional outcomes as diverse as barrier function, cell polarity, cell differentiation and survival, collective cell migration and immune cell trafficking to/from the vasculature.

In light of an emerging understanding that dysregulated cell–cell adhesion signaling through these (and other) pathways can act as a mechanistic driver of disease, this Special Issue will explore the roles of cell–cell adhesion proteins and signaling ignited at cell–cell interfaces in pathophysiological states. We will cover a variety of cell adhesion complexes, including classical tight junctions, adherens junctions, gap junctions and desmosomes in different cell types. In addition to homotypic cell–cell interactions within epithelial or endothelial barriers, we would be interested in heterotypic adhesion complexes assembled at neuronal interfaces in synapses, at immune cell interfaces during antigen presentation and during immune cell interactions with epithelial and vascular barriers. We will cover molecular and signaling events triggered by cell–cell interactions, ranging from cortical cytoskeletal remodeling to the transcriptional reprogramming of cells. We welcome submissions focused on diverse disease areas including (but not limited to) cancer, inflammatory diseases, autoimmunity, neurodegenerative and neurocognitive conditions, fertility disorders, vascular and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, since the localization of most adhesion proteins on outer cell membranes makes them attractive receptor targets for a range of infectious agents, submissions focused on the role of cell–cell adhesion proteins in host–pathogen interactions and infection are also welcome. Translational studies that incorporate whole-organism, patient or patient database elements to back up mechanistic cell biological findings will be particularly valuable.

Thank you in advance for considering submitting your original research to this Special Issue. We hope that it will catalyze a greater understanding of the evolving roles of adhesion proteins as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in a range of human diseases.

Dr. Ann Hopkins
Prof. Dr. Andrei Ivanov
Guest Editors

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