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Molecular Diagnostics and Treatment Advances in Lung Diseases
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Molecular Diagnostics and Treatment Advances in 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: 20 January 2026 | Viewed by 4816

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Eirini Vasarmidi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Respiratory Medicine and Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece
Interests: interstitial lung diseases; idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; rare lung diseases; bronchoalveolar lavage; systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,  

I would like to invite you to participate in this Special Issue focused on the advancements in molecular diagnostics and treatment options for lung diseases. As our understanding of these conditions evolves, the need for innovative approaches to diagnosis and therapy is crucial. The investigation of molecular biomarkers might promote the early diagnosis of lung diseases, while deeper research on pathogenetic mechanisms will explore potential targeted therapies, hopefully leading to the enhancement of patient care through personalized medicine approaches.

We encourage the submission of research articles about the development of novel molecular diagnostic tools and treatment strategies that may significantly improve the patients’ outcomes and quality of life. Review articles on this topic are welcome as well. Both obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis) and rare and interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) may be included. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Eirini Vasarmidi
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.

Keywords

  • lung diseases
  • pulmonary
  • alveolar
  • diagnosis
  • treatment
  • biomarkers
  • molecular
  • bronchoalveolar lavage
  • genetics
  • pathogenesis

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4087 KB  
Article
Exosomal MicroRNA let-7 Modulates Lipid Metabolism and Inflammation in Foamy Macrophages of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
by Miao-Hsi Hsieh, Ping-Fang Lai, Pei-Chi Chen, Xiao-Ling Liu, Wei-Leng Chen, Wen-Shuo Kuo, Shulhn-Der Wang, Hui-Fang Kao, Li-Jen Lin, Lawrence Shih-Hsin Wu and Jiu-Yao Wang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(18), 8800; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26188800 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 546
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involves persistent inflammation and dysregulated lipid metabolism, with foamy macrophages playing a central role in disease progression. Exosomes—vesicles transporting microRNAs (miRNAs)—mediate intercellular communication, but their contribution to foamy macrophage-driven COPD remains unclear. This study investigates the role of [...] Read more.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involves persistent inflammation and dysregulated lipid metabolism, with foamy macrophages playing a central role in disease progression. Exosomes—vesicles transporting microRNAs (miRNAs)—mediate intercellular communication, but their contribution to foamy macrophage-driven COPD remains unclear. This study investigates the role of exosomal miRNAs, particularly let-7, in modulating lipid metabolism and inflammation in foamy macrophages. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce foamy macrophage formation. Exosomal miRNA profiles were analyzed, and the function of let-7c-3p was assessed via transfection. Foamy macrophages released significantly more exosomes (392.7 × 107 particles) than controls (284.9–302.5 × 107), without differences in exosome size or molecular content. The miRNA sequencing and qRT-PCR confirmed downregulation of exosomal let-7c-3p in foamy macrophages, correlating with increased RNF8 and decreased RXR expression—markers of disrupted PPAR/RXR signaling. Pathway analysis implicated let-7c-3p in regulating PPAR/RXR, WNT/β-catenin, and pulmonary fibrosis pathways. Transfection with let-7 mimics reduced lipid accumulation (52% to 19%), suppressed RNF8, restored RXR, and lowered IL-6 and TNF-α levels, indicating strong anti-inflammatory and lipid-modulating effects. Loss of exosomal let-7c-3p aggravates lipid dysregulation and inflammation in COPD by impairing PPAR/RXR signaling. Restoring let-7 expression reverses these effects, highlighting its potential as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Diagnostics and Treatment Advances in Lung Diseases)
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13 pages, 2052 KB  
Article
Serum KL-6 and SP-D: Markers of Lung Function in Autoimmune-Related Interstitial Lung Diseases
by Ewa Miądlikowska, Joanna Miłkowska-Dymanowska, Adam Jerzy Białas, Joanna Samanta Makowska, Anna Lewandowska-Polak, Anna Puła, Anna Kumor-Kisielewska and Wojciech Jerzy Piotrowski
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1091; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031091 - 27 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3741
Abstract
This study evaluates the usefulness of serum KL-6, SP-D and TGF-β1 levels in assessing lung impairment and predicting interstitial lung disease (ILD) short-term progression in patients with interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF). A total of 24 patients with IPAF, 21 with connective [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the usefulness of serum KL-6, SP-D and TGF-β1 levels in assessing lung impairment and predicting interstitial lung disease (ILD) short-term progression in patients with interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF). A total of 24 patients with IPAF, 21 with connective tissue disease-associated ILD (CTD-ILD) and 23 with CTD without ILD were followed for 1 year. Serum levels of KL-6, SP-D and TGF-β1 were measured and their associations with disease severity and progression were analysed. KL-6, SP-D and TGF-β1 levels were significantly higher in IPAF and CTD-ILD patients compared to CTD without ILD (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0005 and p = 0.0001, respectively). KL-6 (r = 0.45, p = 0.002) and SP-D (r = 0.35, p = 0.02) levels correlated with lung involvement in HRCT in the ILD group. In IPAF, KL-6 levels correlated with pulmonary function tests (FVC%, TLCO%, and 6MWD) and SpO2, while SP-D correlated with 6MWD and SpO2. In CTD-ILD, KL-6 and SP-D levels were positively correlated with BAL cell count (KL-6: r = 0.58, p = 0.04; SP-D: r = 0.63, and p = 0.02). KL-6 also showed a negative correlation with the time since symptom onset (r = −0.51, p = 0.02). No significant associations were found between the baseline biomarker levels and ILD progression risk. KL-6 and SP-D may serve as potential biomarkers for assessing lung impairment in IPAF, though their predictive value for short-term prognosis remains uncertain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Diagnostics and Treatment Advances in Lung Diseases)
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