ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Metabolic Signaling and Inflammation in Cardiac Pathophysiology

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Endocrinology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 1012

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Urology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Interests: cardiac inflammation; inflammaging; mitochondrial dysfunction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the interplay between metabolic signaling and inflammation in the development and progression of cardiac diseases. Recent advances have highlighted that metabolic disturbances and inflammatory processes are tightly interconnected in cardiac pathophysiology, influencing disease onset, progression, and outcomes. well as innovative therapeutic approaches targeting these pathways. Submissions addressing translational findings, experimental models, or clinical perspectives are welcome. 

By bringing together new insights from science and clinical research, this Special Issue aims to foster a better understanding of how metabolic and inflammatory signals converge to shape cardiac health and disease, ultimately opening new avenues for targeted therapies. Researchers and clinicians are invited to contribute original research articles, reviews, and perspectives related to basic metabolic crosstalk and inflammation in cardiac disorders.

Dr. Maria Luisa Barcena
Guest Editor

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-blind 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.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cardiac metabolism
  • inflammation
  • metabolic signaling
  • heart disease
  • therapeutic targets

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 1851 KB  
Article
Pro-Inflammatory Activation Promotes Atherogenic Endothelial Phenotype in Male and Female Human Umbilical Endothelial Vein Cells (HUVECs)
by Mario Lorenz, Riwka Palant, Edith Oscherowa, Weam Karmid-Haj Hamoud, Jennifer A. Kirwan, Sarah Trajkovski, Janine Wiebach, Raphaela Fritsche-Guenther, Haiyan Wu, Natalie Haritonow, Angelika Vietzke, Elena Kaschina, Wolfgang Henrich, Julia Temp and Maria Luisa Barcena
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(7), 3079; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27073079 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Atherosclerosis, the leading global cause of death, is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease with higher prevalence and earlier onset in men than in women. This study aims to investigate sex differences in the atherogenic endothelial phenotype during early atherosclerosis processes by providing the [...] Read more.
Atherosclerosis, the leading global cause of death, is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease with higher prevalence and earlier onset in men than in women. This study aims to investigate sex differences in the atherogenic endothelial phenotype during early atherosclerosis processes by providing the first comprehensive analysis of hormone-independent responses in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from opposite-sex twins. HUVECs underwent pro-inflammatory stimulation with TNF-α and supernatant from activated pro-inflammatory THP-1 cells, revealing distinct sex-specific patterns: mRNA expression of focal adhesion proteins talin-I, vinculin, FAK, and α1-actinin increased significantly only in male cells, while paxillin showed elevated mRNA and protein levels in both sexes. Male HUVECs exhibited stronger induction of cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1, pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, and proangiogenic factors Flt-3L, G-CSF, and PDGF-AA, whereas IL-22 secretion was exclusively upregulated in female cells. These sex differences in levels of focal adhesion, adhesion molecules, and cytokine profiles uncover the mechanistic backgrounds of the atherogenic endothelial phenotype, independent of systemic hormones. The findings emphasize cellular sex as a critical biological variable in early atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolic Signaling and Inflammation in Cardiac Pathophysiology)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop