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Life
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Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases
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Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (27 February 2026) | Viewed by 11194

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Emina Karahmet Sher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
International Society of Engineering Science and Technology, Nottingham, UK
Interests: diabetes; stem cells; autoimmune dieseases; nanotechnology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic inflammatory illnesses and autoimmune disorders represent a major global health issue, characterised by persistent inflammation and immunological dysregulation, which can cause severe tissue damage and a lower quality of life. Despite advances in immunomodulatory therapy, current medications frequently have limited efficacy and serious adverse effects, emphasising the need for innovative therapeutic methods. This Special Issue will investigate cutting-edge solutions in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune illnesses, with an emphasis on molecular and cellular advances. A focus will be placed on innovative biologics, small-molecule inhibitors, gene editing technologies, and cell-based therapeutics such as mesenchymal stem cells and modified immune cells that target key inflammatory pathways. Furthermore, this Special Issue will investigate the effect of gut microbiota manipulation, nanoparticle-based drug delivery methods, and personalised medicine techniques in improving therapy specificity and patient outcomes. Contributions that investigate the molecular pathways underlying disease aetiology, biomarker identification for early diagnosis, and clinical trial data on developing therapeutics are also welcome. Our aim is to create a comprehensive forum where academics and doctors can share recent progress, with the ultimate goal of transforming new research into better and safer therapeutic alternatives for patients. This Special Issue will promote interdisciplinary collaboration and close the gap between basic research and clinical applications in the field of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease management.

Dr. Emina Karahmet Sher
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

  • chronic inflammatory diseases
  • autoimmune diseases
  • biomarker identification
  • innovative biologics
  • small-molecule inhibitors
  • gene editing technologies
  • cell-based therapeutics

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 739 KB  
Article
Prevalence, Clinical Characteristics, and Predictors of Difficult-to-Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Real-World Taiwanese Cohort
by Shun-Wen Hsiao, Pei-Yuan Su, Chen-Ta Yang, Yang-Yuan Chen and Hsu-Heng Yen
Life 2026, 16(2), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16020197 - 24 Jan 2026
Viewed by 770
Abstract
A subset of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains refractory to treatment despite multiple lines of advanced therapies. These patients are often categorized as having difficult-to-treat (DTT) IBD. We retrospectively analyzed 354 patients with IBD (including 112 with Crohn’s disease [CD] and [...] Read more.
A subset of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains refractory to treatment despite multiple lines of advanced therapies. These patients are often categorized as having difficult-to-treat (DTT) IBD. We retrospectively analyzed 354 patients with IBD (including 112 with Crohn’s disease [CD] and 242 with ulcerative colitis [UC]) from a real-world cohort. Baseline demographic and disease characteristics, treatment history, and outcomes were compared between the DTT-IBD and non-DTT-IBD groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with DTT-IBD in CD and UC cohorts. Approximately 10.6% of the patients exposed to advanced therapy fulfilled the definition of DTT-IBD (CD: 9.8%, UC: 11.4%). Compared with patients with non-DTT-IBD, those with DTT-IBD exhibited a significantly higher exposure to multiple biologic classes, including antitumor necrosis factor (94.1% vs. 59.0%), anti-integrin (94.1% vs. 47.2%), anti-interleukin-12/23 (88.2% vs. 19.4%), and Janus kinase inhibitors (35.3% vs. 0.7%). The DTT-IBD group had a significantly lower clinical remission rate at the last follow-up than the non-DTT-IBD group (52.9% vs. 85.4%, p = 0.001). A longer interval from diagnosis to the initiation of advanced therapy was independently associated with DTT-IBD in CD (OR: 1.014 per month, 95% CI: 1.001–1.026, p = 0.026). No significant predictors for UC were identified. In conclusion, DTT-IBD, characterized by extensive biologic exposure and suboptimal long-term remission rates, accounts for approximately 10% of patients with IBD receiving advanced therapy. In CD, delayed initiation of advanced therapy may contribute to refractoriness. These findings emphasize the unmet need for earlier therapeutic intervention, better predictive markers of treatment response, and novel therapeutic mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases)
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11 pages, 587 KB  
Article
Serological Assessment of Hepatitis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Taiwan: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis
by Yueh-An Lee, Hsu-Heng Yen and Yang-Yuan Chen
Life 2025, 15(6), 893; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15060893 - 31 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2171
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Immunosuppressive therapy administration increases the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) reactivation. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Immunosuppressive therapy administration increases the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) reactivation. This study aimed to investigate the hepatitis screening rate, serological status, and protective antibody levels among the Taiwanese IBD population. This single-center retrospective study included patients with IBD from January 2016 to December 2024. Hepatitis serological markers were analyzed. Patients were categorized into active HBV infection (HBsAg-positive), resolved HBV infection (HBsAg-negative and anti-HBc-positive), and non-HBV-infected groups, with prevalences of 7.5%, 32.5%, and 0.9%, respectively. This study included 347 patients with IBD (UC: 68.3%; CD: 31.7%), with a mean age of 47.1 ± 16.4 years. Patients born after 1984 demonstrated a significantly reduced HBsAg positivity (0.9% vs. 11.0%; p < 0.05) and resolved HBV infection (52.2% vs. 1.0%; p < 0.05). However, among non-HBV-infected individuals, only 42.0% had protective anti-HBs levels (≥10 mIU/mL), despite vaccination program initiation. In this study, we found an overall HBsAg positivity rate of 7.5% and an anti-HCV seropositivity rate of 0.9% in our IBD population. Taiwan’s HBV vaccination program has effectively reduced the HBV prevalence. However, a significant proportion of vaccinated individuals lack sufficient protective antibody levels, thereby requiring continued HBV screening and booster vaccinations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases)
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10 pages, 893 KB  
Article
The Impact of Surgery on Quality of Life in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Results from a Prospective Single-Center Study
by Lennart Ocker, Nessr Abu Rached, Anna Koller, Carolin Frost, Riina Käpynen and Falk G. Bechara
Life 2025, 15(5), 769; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15050769 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 2008
Abstract
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that severely impairs quality of life. Treatment typically involves a patient-oriented combination of medical therapies, surgery, and lifestyle modifications. However, data on the impact of surgical treatments on quality of life remain limited. This [...] Read more.
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that severely impairs quality of life. Treatment typically involves a patient-oriented combination of medical therapies, surgery, and lifestyle modifications. However, data on the impact of surgical treatments on quality of life remain limited. This prospective monocentric study aimed to evaluate the effect of wide surgical excision in patients with moderate to severe HS (Hurley stage II/III) who were naïve to systemic biologic treatments. Between March 2017 and November 2022, 82 patients (51% female; 80% Hurley II, 20% Hurley III) underwent major surgical excision. Assessments were performed before surgery and at three and six months postoperatively. The primary endpoint was the change in Dermatologic Life Quality Index (DLQI); secondary endpoints included changes in pain (NRS-11) and disease severity scores. DLQI improved from 11.7 at baseline to 8.3 at three months and 4.7 at six months (p < 0.001). Pain scores and the modified Hidradenitis Suppurativa Score (mHSS) also significantly decreased (p < 0.001). In conclusion, major surgery significantly improved quality of life and pain in HS patients, confirming its essential role in a multimodal treatment approach. Patient-reported outcome measures are crucial for assessing treatment efficacy in HS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases)
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Review

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38 pages, 2282 KB  
Review
A Focused Comparative Review of Innovative Therapeutics Across Autoimmune and Chronic Inflammatory Diseases
by Harisa Hibić Kaknjašević, Emina Dervišević, Almir Fajkić, Azra Hodžić, Alexander Chupin and Emina Karahmet Sher
Life 2026, 16(5), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16050736 (registering DOI) - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 271
Abstract
Chronic inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases are overlapping but distinct immune-mediated disorders that represent a growing worldwide health concern, characterised by persistent inflammation, tissue damage, and progressive organ dysfunction. In the United States alone, more than $180 billion is spent annually on managing [...] Read more.
Chronic inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases are overlapping but distinct immune-mediated disorders that represent a growing worldwide health concern, characterised by persistent inflammation, tissue damage, and progressive organ dysfunction. In the United States alone, more than $180 billion is spent annually on managing these conditions, yet fewer than 10% of patients achieve long-term remission. These figures highlight the limitations of conventional therapies, which often control symptoms rather than adequately modify the underlying disease process. This review provides a focused and comparative overview of emerging therapeutic strategies across representative immune-mediated disorders, with particular emphasis on mesenchymal stem cells, Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies, therapeutic vaccines, microbiome-modulating interventions, and nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems. In parallel, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly contributing to biomarker discovery, drug repurposing, and treatment stratification, thereby supporting the development of predictive and personalised medicine. Overall, these advances support a shift toward mechanism-based, multimodal, and more durable treatment strategies, although further clinical validation remains necessary. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases)
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23 pages, 2655 KB  
Review
The Role of Nutrition in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders: Mechanisms, Risks, and Interventions
by Carlotta Siddi, Jihane Balla, Christy Agbey, Paola Fadda and Simona Dedoni
Life 2025, 15(6), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15060982 - 19 Jun 2025
Viewed by 5005
Abstract
HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs) refer to a range of cognitive deficits that afflict people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The fundamental processes of HAND include persistent inflammation, immunological activation, and direct viral impact on the central nervous system. Emerging research shows [...] Read more.
HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs) refer to a range of cognitive deficits that afflict people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The fundamental processes of HAND include persistent inflammation, immunological activation, and direct viral impact on the central nervous system. Emerging research shows that nutritional status, especially food consumption and body weight, is critical in determining the course and severity of HAND. Malnutrition exacerbates neurocognitive impairment by increasing inflammation and oxidative stress, while obesity may contribute to HAND through the promotion of metabolic disruption, gut microbiota alterations, and systemic inflammation. Additionally, the introduction of antiretroviral treatment (ART) has substantially enhanced the prognosis of people living with HIV by lowering viral load and improving immune function. However, depending on the regimen, ART can cause changes in body weight, which may influence the progression of HAND. This emphasizes the intricate interplay between HIV, nutrition, body weight, and neurocognitive health. As a result, various dietary approaches are currently being investigated to improve the quality of life of individuals with HIV and possibly help prevent neurocognitive decline in this population. This review aims to elucidate the relationship between nutrition and neurocognitive function in individuals living with HIV, shedding light on aspects of HANDs related to diet, body weight fluctuations, and metabolic syndrome. It explores the shift from current pharmacological treatments to innovative non-pharmacological interventions, including specific dietary strategies, to support overall health and cognitive well being in HIV-positive people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases and Autoimmune Diseases)
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