The Neuro-Immune Axis in Pulmonary Inflammation and Fibrosis
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Immunology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2026 | Viewed by 6
Special Issue Editor
2. Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Interests: neutrophils; alveolar macrophages; lung damage; pulmonary disease; neuropeptide; inflammation; immune; neuro-immune
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Our lungs are exposed to thousands of non-sterile particles in the air every day. Pathogens, particles, and toxins reach our alveoli, which can trigger inflammatory responses, resulting in acute lung injury, as well as fibrotic processes. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has shown how pulmonary inflammation must be thoroughly orchestrated in order to prevent tissue damage while eliminating possible hazards. Nonetheless, the lungs can be innervated by distinct types of neurons (sensory, sympathetic, parasympathetic) that can act as maestros, coordinating the fast and local modulation of immunological responses, thereby protecting these organs’ delicate architecture and maintaining homeostasis.
This neuroimmune crosstalk has been extensively covered in other organs, such as the gut and skin, but recent findings have contributed to our understanding of the complex crosstalk between lung innervation and immune cells, shedding light on promising therapeutic targets.
This Special Issue will focus on the following three aspects: (i) novel roles of neuroimmune interaction during host defense or sterile inflammation; (ii) neuroimmune mechanisms that influence the inflammatory response; and (iii) the potential exploration of pulmonary neuroimmune crosstalk to identify new therapeutic targets for lung diseases.
For this Special Issue, we particularly welcome original mechanistic research articles that elucidate the cellular and molecular pathways underlying neuro–immune communication in the lungs, including neuron–immune cell interactions and neuropeptide- and neurotransmitter-mediated signaling and their impact on immune cell activation, the resolution of inflammation, and fibrotic remodeling. We also welcome in-depth review articles that showcase recent discoveries in lung neurobiology and immunology, highlight shared signaling pathways, and discuss emerging experimental models and technologies relevant to cellular neuroimmune crosstalk. This Special Issue will move this field forward, from descriptive observations to a deeper mechanistic understanding of pulmonary neuroimmune regulation, and will identify novel cell-based or pathway-specific therapeutic opportunities in inflammatory and fibrotic lung diseases.
Dr. Carlos H. Hiroki
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- neuroimmune interactions
- lung inflammation
- lung innervation
- neuropeptides
- neurotransmitters
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