Pharmacological Research on Autoimmune Disease
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1333
Editors
Interests: new compounds, natural or synthetic, for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, asthma, and cancer; nitric oxide; pulmonary allergy; EAE; cell culture; breast cancer
Interests: tumor and non-tumor cell culture; models of acute and chronic inflammation; paw edema; EAE; biological activity of natural and synthetic/semi-synthetic substances; drug repositioning
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Autoimmune diseases comprise more than 80 distinct disorders that collectively impose a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Although their exact etiology remains largely unknown, their incidence is increasing in many countries. Women between the ages of 20 and 40 are disproportionately affected by most of these conditions. Current evidence indicates that both genetic predisposition and environmental factors contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases.
A hallmark of these disorders is an aberrant immune response characterized by the activation of autoreactive T lymphocytes and the production of autoantibodies, whether triggered through physiological dysregulation or pathological mechanisms. Modulating the adaptive immune response has been shown to improve clinical outcomes. In addition, the intestinal microbiota plays a critical role in shaping systemic immune function, suggesting that strategies targeting host–microbiome interactions may offer therapeutic benefits.
Despite significant advances in understanding disease mechanisms and the availability of multiple treatment options, most autoimmune diseases remain incurable. Therefore, the development of innovative therapeutic approaches—such as plant-derived formulations, drug repurposing strategies, nanostructured delivery systems, and complementary therapies—is highly desirable. These alternatives aim to more effectively control autoreactivity while minimizing adverse effects and reducing costs, benefiting both the pharmaceutical industry and, most importantly, patients.
Therefore, this Special issue aims to encompass recent advances in developing drugs and alternative therapies for autoimmune diseases.
We invite researchers to contribute to this collection with original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, and clinical trials covering, but not limited to, the latest and most significant discoveries in:
- Unveiling the mechanism of action of plant-derived formulations for treating autoimmune diseases.
- Repositioning drugs for autoimmune diseases.
- Exploring the barriers to developing and implementing new therapeutic strategies for autoimmune diseases.
- Understanding how the interplay between the gut microbiota and the immune system influences the efficacy of and response to new drug formulations for autoimmune diseases.
- Analyzing the effects of probiotics in immune system regulation in autoimmune diseases.
Dr. Caio César de Souza Alves
Dr. Sandra Bertelli Ribeiro de Castro
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
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Keywords
- autoimmune diseases
- plant-derived formulations
- drug repurposing strategies
- nanostructured delivery systems
- complementary therapies
- inflammatory
- immune system
- gut–brain axis
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