Molecular Mechanisms of Chronic Lung Diseases
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 July 2026 | Viewed by 109
Special Issue Editor
Interests: interstitial lung disease; HLA; genetic studies; CPFE
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The molecular mechanisms underlying chronic lung diseases—such as COPD, asthma, and ILDs—involve a harmful cycle of ongoing inflammation, oxidative stress, and an imbalance between proteases and antiproteases. This cycle leads to airway remodeling, including fibrosis and increased mucus production, as well as alveolar destruction seen in emphysema. Factors like genetics, smoking, pollutants, and immune responses disrupt normal lung function and repair processes. Key contributors include inflammatory cells such as neutrophils, macrophages, and T cells, along with cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, interleukins), chemokines (e.g., CXCL, CCL), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and proteases such as MMPs and elastases. These elements cause tissue damage and weaken defense mechanisms, often continuing even after the initial triggers are gone.
We welcome the submission of original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles that cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- The role of inflammaging in chronic lung diseases and its influence on the outcomes.
- Cytokine networks modulating metalloproteinases related to chronic lung diseases.
- Genetic/genomic and epigenetic/epigenomic ongoing studies of inflammation, oxidative stress, and imbalances between proteases and antiproteases in chronic lung diseases.
- The role of innate alterations in the development of chronic lung diseases.
- Alterations in the activity of inflammasomes that favor the development of degenerative lung pathologies.
Dr. Ramcés Falfán-Valencia
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- interstitial lung diseases
- chronic respiratory diseases
- genetic susceptibility
- genomic
- cytokine networks
- metalloproteinases
- inflammasome
- inflammatory cytokines
- telomere length
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