Epigenetic Triggers and Immune Phenotypes Associated with Neurological Disorders in Relation to Women’s Health

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing amounts of new data on human disease regulation arose foremost from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Attempts to identify functional phenotypes of newly discovered disease-related genomic variants corroborated epigenetic- and proteomic-wide association studies. Immune cells, antibodies, and immune cell-secreted products, including cytokines, are central for self defense from pathogens and in directing genetic susceptibility to and epigenetic influences on disease, including neurologic, cancer, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases.

Amongst neurologic diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune, relapsing–remitting or progressive debilitating disorder affecting younger adults, is sex-biased with prevalence for women. The Guest Editor’s critical overview of some genetic association, epigenetic triggers, and immune cytokine phenotypes relevant for MS, in particular IL-16, which is a CD4+ T cell specific migratory factor, will serve as a midpoint to linking other related topics.

This Special Issue aims to encompass some of the recently identified genetic, epigenetic, cytokine, and kinase signaling regulatory pathways related to immune regulation pertinent to human neurological diseases. Updated cytokine mechanisms, implicated in the regulation of other human diseases, including autoimmune, endocrine, and infectious diseases and cancer, are discussed by focusing on their known or conceivable significance for women’s health. Basic, clinical, and epidemiological studies and critical reviews are welcome.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Multiple sclerosis (epidemiology, genetics, epigenetics, immune regulation, therapy and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis);
• Multiple sclerosis comorbidities, including cerebrovascular disease, psychological and behavioral issues, epilepsy, non-neurological autoimmune diseases, endometriosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type 1, and diabetic complications including diabetic retinopathy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy;
• Neuromyelitis optica;
• Virus-induced infections of the central nervous system (CNS)—as plausible MS epigenetic triggers or as complications of disease-modifying MS therapies;
• Epigenetic modifiers aiding in prophylaxis and prevention or improving quality of life in neurological patients;
• Mathematical modeling of disease and simulation of immune cell interactions;
• Other related topics.

Dr. Dusanka S. Skundric
Prof. Dr. Harley Tse
Guest Editors

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• epigenetic regulation
• immune regulation
• neurological diseases
• women’s health
• immune pathways
• T cells
• cytokines
• IL-16
• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• MS comorbidities