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Cellular and Molecular Progression of Cardiovascular Diseases: 2nd Edition
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Cellular and Molecular Progression of Cardiovascular Diseases: 2nd Edition

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: 10 September 2026 | Viewed by 1322

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andrea Borghini

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Guest Editor
Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
Interests: molecular epidemiology; environmental cardiology; radiobiology; genetics; cardiovascular disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Antonio Rizza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Cardiology Unit, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 54100 Massa, Italy
Interests: coronary artery disease; cardiology; abdominal aortic aneurysm; thoracic aortic aneurysm; carotid disease; aortic disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alessandro Tonacci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
Interests: biomedical signal processing; artificial intelligence; consumer technology; sensoriality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, claiming an estimated 18 million lives annually. Despite extensive research, gaining novel insights into the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of CVDs through basic and clinical research is crucial. This effort is essential for identifying new diagnostic/prognostic tools and for developing therapeutic strategies that enhance patient management and outcomes.

The integration of multi-omics data (including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) offers a holistic perspective on patients, providing insights into the regulatory mechanisms, pathways, and networks involved in the development and progression of CVDs. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful framework that is capable of recognizing complex patterns within large-scale clinical and molecular data. Its potential to improve risk prediction is substantial, allowing for the identification of biomarkers for more accurate diagnoses, the prediction of treatment outcomes, and the development of novel therapies for personalized approaches.

For this Special Issue, we invite investigators to contribute original research and review papers. Our aim is to cover the most recent scientific advances related to the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying CVDs. 

Dr. Andrea Borghini
Dr. Antonio Rizza
Dr. Alessandro Tonacci
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-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

  • cardiovascular diseases
  • multi-omics data
  • biomarkers
  • molecular level

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 650 KB  
Article
Multidomain Biomarkers as Predictors of Cardiovascular Risk in Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Prospective Evaluation
by Guadalupe Estela Gavilánez-Chávez, Maria G. Zavala-Cerna, Sandra Guzmán-Silahua, Luz Rebeca Rodríguez-Rivera, Cristo F. Urzua-Ortega, Ernesto Germán Cardona-Muñoz, Eduardo Chuquiure-Valenzuela, Benjamín Rubio-Jurado and Arnulfo Hernán Nava-Zavala
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(5), 2476; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052476 - 7 Mar 2026
Viewed by 533
Abstract
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), driven by inflammation and thrombosis, remains a leading cause of morbidity globally. While traditional risk scores are useful, the prognostic value of combining inflammatory and autoimmune biomarkers remains understudied. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive role of high-sensitivity [...] Read more.
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), driven by inflammation and thrombosis, remains a leading cause of morbidity globally. While traditional risk scores are useful, the prognostic value of combining inflammatory and autoimmune biomarkers remains understudied. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), platelet factor 4 (PF4), D-dimer, and antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin and anti-β2-glycoprotein I) for the development of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with ACS. We conducted a prospective cohort study at a tertiary referral center in Mexico. A total of 103 patients admitted with confirmed ACS were included. Blood samples were collected upon admission to measure biomarker levels. Participants were followed for 30 days. The primary outcome was the occurrence of MACE, defined as reinfarction, death, percutaneous coronary intervention, or bypass surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors, adjusting for age, smoking, and comorbidities. MACE occurred in 51.4% of participants. Patients with adverse outcomes were significantly older and had longer hospital stays (p < 0.05). In the biomarker analysis, PF4 and hs-CRP demonstrated high sensitivity (98%) but low specificity. In the multivariate analysis, IgG anti-β2-glycoprotein I (p < 0.001) and D-dimer (p = 0.024) emerged as significant independent predictors of MACE. Conversely, IgM isotypes did not show independent predictive value. Beyond traditional risk factors, markers of coagulation (D-dimer) and autoimmunity (IgG anti-β2-glycoprotein I) are independent predictors of short-term adverse events in ACS patients. Integrating these multidomain biomarkers into clinical assessment may enhance risk stratification and prognostic accuracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Progression of Cardiovascular Diseases: 2nd Edition)
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10 pages, 417 KB  
Article
Changes in Systemic Inflammatory Marker Levels Following Percutaneous Revascularisation of Lower Extremity Arteries
by Maja Glogovšek, Ula Dobovičnik, Vinko Boc, Anja Boc, Mojca Božič Mijovski, Pavel Poredoš and Kevin Pelicon
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(5), 2404; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052404 - 5 Mar 2026
Viewed by 474
Abstract
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis in which inflammation plays a central pathogenic role. Endovascular revascularisation may transiently amplify inflammation due to vascular injury, but successful restoration of perfusion could reduce inflammatory burden over time. This prospective, observational, single-centre [...] Read more.
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis in which inflammation plays a central pathogenic role. Endovascular revascularisation may transiently amplify inflammation due to vascular injury, but successful restoration of perfusion could reduce inflammatory burden over time. This prospective, observational, single-centre pilot study aimed to characterise the temporal dynamics of inflammatory biomarkers during the first three months following endovascular revascularisation of the lower limbs. Consecutive patients with PAD who underwent successful percutaneous femoropopliteal revascularisation at the Department of Vascular Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia, between January 2022 and January 2024 were enrolled. Venous blood was obtained one hour before the procedure, one day afterwards, and again approximately three months later. Concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukins (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) were measured. Temporal changes in biomarker levels were analysed using Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests where appropriate. Clinical outcomes were evaluated at three months and one year post-procedure and were further verified through patient telephone interviews. The observed outcomes were worsening of PAD symptoms, newly diagnosed angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA), or death. Twenty-eight patients (median age 69 years) completed all blood samplings. IL-6 concentrations increased significantly one day after revascularisation and decreased below preprocedural levels at three months, with significant differences observed across all time points (p < 0.001). IL-10 and TNFα decreased significantly between the postprocedural and three-month measurements (p = 0.012 and p = 0.016, respectively), but not below preprocedural levels. No significant changes were observed in hsCRP or IL-8. Over a median follow-up of 732 days, 9 patients experienced worsening PAD symptoms in the treated limb, 2 developed new-onset PAD symptoms in the contralateral limb, and 1 was newly diagnosed with angina pectoris. No myocardial infarction, stroke, TIA, or death occurred. To conclude, endovascular femoropopliteal revascularisation induces distinct short-term inflammatory responses, with IL-6 showing the most pronounced peri-procedural dynamics. The observed reductions in some inflammatory biomarker levels at three months suggest that restored limb perfusion may modulate systemic inflammation. Larger studies are warranted to clarify the prognostic relevance of these biomarkers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Progression of Cardiovascular Diseases: 2nd Edition)
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