Epigenetics in Autoimmune Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

The IJMS journal is hosting a Special Issue on “Epigenetics in Autoimmune Diseases”.

Autoimmune diseases result from a complex interplay of genetic and epigenetic factors. Although genetics contributes to disease predisposition, recent evidence suggests that epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, also play a role in pathology development. Various autoimmune diseases have shown differentially methylated promoter and enhancer regions, indicating their involvement in disease pathogenesis. Histones play a crucial role in compacting DNA, and modifying these proteins can activate or silence gene expression. Non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, regulate gene expression by targeting translation levels and/or forming RNA scaffolds for multiprotein complexes. Environmental factors, such as diet, stress, toxins and infections, can interact with epigenetic factors, leading to the onset or worsening of autoimmune diseases. Studying the relationship between epigenetics and autoimmune diseases may reveal new biomarkers and treatment options.

We welcome original manuscripts and reviews from experts in the field of epigenetic modifications, regulatory factors and mechanisms. We encourage authors to address pathophysiology-related issues, specifically those that address systemic aspects.

Dr. Tibor A. Rauch
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• autoimmune disease
• DNA methylation
• histone modifications
• miRNAs
• long non-coding RNAs
• circRNAs
• environmental effects
• epigenome-wide analysis
• DNMT inhibitors
• HDAC inhibitors