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Life
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Research and Management in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases
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Research and Management in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 3819

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Panagiotis Athanassiou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Rheumatology, St. Paul’s Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: rheumatoid arthritis; tumor necrosis factor; fatty acids; treatment; systemic lupus erythematosus
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Autoimmune rheumatic diseases represent a major problem for physicians and researchers alike. Autoimmune diseases have seen a significant increase in incidence and prevalence all over the world. The etiology behind this augmented prevalence and incidence of autoimmune rheumatic diseases is not known and poses a major problem for physicians and researchers alike. Additionally, the incidence and prevalence of multiple autoimmunity are increasing, and it is currently seen in many patients. However, even as autoimmune rheumatic diseases are increasing in prevalence and incidence, novel therapeutic agents are becoming available. These agents offer new hope for successful treatment and better prognosis for patients and physicians alike. In particular, biologic agents have had a major impact on the treatment of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. JAK inhibitors also offer hope for treatment and better quality of life in patients. Recently, cell-based therapies such as CAR-T cell treatment have become part of the armamentarium for the treatment of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Novel research has allowed the identification of major pathways involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. For this Special Issue, we welcome any paper related to the pathogenesis or treatment of autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Dr. Panagiotis Athanassiou
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. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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

  • autoimmune rheumatic diseases
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • systemic lupus erythematosus
  • systemic sclerosis
  • Sjogren's syndrome
  • biologic agents
  • JAK inhibitors

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

18 pages, 521 KB  
Review
Psoriatic Arthritis: Therapeutic Advances and Novel Treatment Strategies—A Scoping Review
by Lambros Athanassiou, Ifigenia Kostoglou-Athanassiou, Georgia Kaiafa, Christos Savopoulos, Yehuda Shoenfeld and Panagiotis Athanassiou
Life 2026, 16(5), 740; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16050740 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 274
Abstract
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting both the joints and the skin, with the potential involvement of multiple organ systems. A hallmark feature of PsA is enthesitis—inflammation at the sites where tendons and ligaments insert into bone—which arises from [...] Read more.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting both the joints and the skin, with the potential involvement of multiple organ systems. A hallmark feature of PsA is enthesitis—inflammation at the sites where tendons and ligaments insert into bone—which arises from a combination of mechanical stress and immune-mediated inflammation. Another defining characteristic of the disease is the paradoxical coexistence of bone erosion and new bone formation, distinguishing it from other inflammatory arthritides. The therapeutic landscape of PsA has evolved considerably over time. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remain a cornerstone of symptom management, while conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), such as methotrexate, are widely used to control disease progression. The introduction of biologic agents has revolutionized PsA management, with TNF inhibitors, IL-17 inhibitors, and IL-23 inhibitors demonstrating efficacy across a broad range of clinical manifestations. More recently, targeted synthetic small molecules—including JAK inhibitors and TYK2 inhibitors—have expanded the armamentarium of available therapies. The overarching goals of treatment in PsA include the suppression of the underlying inflammatory process and the prevention of structural joint damage. The impact of each therapeutic option on cutaneous psoriasis is an additional and important consideration that guides individualized treatment options. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Management in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases)
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26 pages, 922 KB  
Review
Targeting GM-CSF in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Advances in Cytokine-Directed Immunotherapy and Clinical Implications
by Mario García-Domínguez
Life 2025, 15(11), 1737; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15111737 - 12 Nov 2025
Viewed by 3232
Abstract
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has emerged as a key cytokine in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease distinguished by synovial inflammation and progressive joint destruction. GM-CSF orchestrates the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of myeloid cells (mainly macrophages and neutrophils) thereby sustaining [...] Read more.
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has emerged as a key cytokine in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease distinguished by synovial inflammation and progressive joint destruction. GM-CSF orchestrates the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of myeloid cells (mainly macrophages and neutrophils) thereby sustaining the pro-inflammatory synovial milieu. Recent advances in monoclonal antibody immunotherapy have enabled selective inhibition of GM-CSF or its receptor. Clinical data on several monoclonal antibodies are presented, focusing on their pharmacodynamic properties and efficacy results documented in phase II and III clinical studies. Cumulative evidence supports GM-CSF inhibition as a compelling strategy for modulating inflammation and improving clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Management in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases)
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