Allergic and Immune Disorders: New Insights and Future Directions

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Hematology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2026 | Viewed by 1616

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
2. Department of Allergology, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland
Interests: allergology; asthma; allergy to hymenoptera venom

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
Interests: allergology; clinical immunology; inborn errors of immunity; immunomodulation, immunonutrition microbiota

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Immunologically driven diseases encompass a broad spectrum of disorders whose prevalence is steadily increasing worldwide. Traditionally, these diseases are classified into three major categories: allergic diseases, inborn errors of immunity (IEI)–formerly known as primary immunodeficiencies–and autoimmune disorders. Although this classification provides a useful framework, in clinical practice the boundaries between these groups are often blurred. These diseases may coexist and share a common underlying mechanism–immune dysregulation, frequently linked to a primary defect in the immune system.

According to the most recent International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) classification, Inborn Errors of Immunity currently include 555 distinct disease entities. Despite advances in diagnostic tools, up to 80% of affected individuals remain undiagnosed and are, therefore, not registered in disease databases. Patients often present with an increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmunity, and allergic manifestations. This highlights the importance of a holistic approach to patient care—integrating thorough diagnostic evaluation (including differential diagnosis), optimal nutrition, psychological well-being, and preventive strategies.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather original, interdisciplinary research focused on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy of allergic and immunological disorders, with particular emphasis on their overlapping mechanisms and shared pathways. We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and translational studies that broaden our understanding of immune-mediated diseases and contribute to the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Molecular and cellular mechanisms of allergic and immunodeficiency disorders;
  • Immunomodulation and innovative experimental therapies;
  • The role of the microbiome and environmental factors in immune regulation and allergic disease;
  • Novel biomarkers of immunonutrition;
  • Dietary and nutritional strategies in autoimmune and allergic diseases;
  • Holistic patient care in allergy and immune-mediated disorders;

Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Pałgan
Guest Editor

Dr. Katarzyna Napiórkowska-Baran
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • allergy
  • immunology
  • clinical immunology
  • asthma
  • diagnosis
  • treatment
  • management
  • precision medicine

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 2880 KB  
Article
Explorative Insights into Local Immune Response to BK Virus—A Cross-Sectional Study in Urine Samples Between Transplant Recipients and Non-Immunocompromised Hosts
by Agata Michnowska, Bartosz Wojciuk, Paulina Reus, Agata Filipowska, Magdalena Mnichowska-Polanowska, Bartłomiej Grygorcewicz, Kazimierz Ciechanowski and Karolina Kędzierska-Kapuza
Medicina 2026, 62(2), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62020240 - 23 Jan 2026
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: BK virus (BKPyV) is a common latent pathogen in humans, but it becomes particularly insidious in kidney transplant recipients, where reactivation may contribute to allograft loss. The immune mechanisms controlling BKPyV latency in immunocompromised hosts remain incompletely understood. We [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: BK virus (BKPyV) is a common latent pathogen in humans, but it becomes particularly insidious in kidney transplant recipients, where reactivation may contribute to allograft loss. The immune mechanisms controlling BKPyV latency in immunocompromised hosts remain incompletely understood. We assume the urinary immune proteome reflects local immune response in the kidney and the urinary tract. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether the presence of BKPyV alters the urinary immune-related proteomic profile of kidney transplant recipients and shifts it away to that observed in healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: 137 urine samples were collected from kidney recipients, both BKPyV-positive and BKPyV-negative, patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease, and healthy controls. Targeted proteomic analysis was performed using the proximity extension assay, followed by heatmapping, principal component analysis, random forest, and linear regression modeling. Results: The urinary proteome of BKPyV-positive recipients remained more distinct from healthy controls than that of BKPyV-negative ones. Among the 33 proteins detected across all samples, 17 showed significant intergroup differences, with KLRD1 (CD94) uniquely upregulated in all transplant recipients, but downregulated in BKPyV-positive samples. Conclusions: We conclude that the presence of BKPyV in the urinary tract of kidney recipients notably interplays with the local immune response even in the absence of clinical disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Allergic and Immune Disorders: New Insights and Future Directions)
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Review

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21 pages, 858 KB  
Review
Cutaneous Manifestations of Inborn Errors of Immunity: Clinical Clues to Immune Disorders
by Katarzyna Napiorkowska-Baran, Maciej Pastuszczak, Maria Płocka-Karpińska, Marta Tykwińska, Paweł Treichel, Gary Andrew Margossian, Carla Liana Margossian, Agnieszka Rogalska and Rafał Czajkowski
Medicina 2026, 62(3), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62030581 - 19 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Cutaneous manifestations of inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are among the most common and often early signs of these disorders, estimated to affect about 40% of patients with IEI, and in some cases, they provide the first diagnostic clue. Skin findings [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Cutaneous manifestations of inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are among the most common and often early signs of these disorders, estimated to affect about 40% of patients with IEI, and in some cases, they provide the first diagnostic clue. Skin findings in IEI are heterogeneous and include recurrent skin infections, severe atopic dermatitis, autoimmune manifestations, as well as atypical granulomatous dermatoses, neoplastic lesions, pigmentation disorders, and changes involving hair and nails. Early recognition of these manifestations and linking them to the appropriate immunologic defect is crucial for establishing the diagnosis and initiating targeted therapy. Methods: This paper reviews the dermatologic phenotypes associated with IEI, with particular emphasis on a tabular classification of skin lesions corresponding to specific immunologic defects. Relevant literature was analyzed to summarize characteristic cutaneous presentations and current diagnostic approaches, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary evaluation. Results: Cutaneous findings in IEI encompass a wide spectrum of infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, and neoplastic manifestations. Systematic classification of these lesions facilitates earlier recognition of underlying immune defects and supports differential diagnosis. Dermatologic signs frequently precede systemic manifestations, making them valuable early clinical indicators of IEI. Conclusions: Recognition of dermatologic manifestations is critical for early diagnosis of IEI. Interdisciplinary collaboration between dermatologists, immunologists, and other specialists improves diagnostic accuracy and patient management. Current therapeutic strategies range from symptomatic treatment to targeted therapies, and personalized approaches improve prognosis and quality of life in patients with IEI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Allergic and Immune Disorders: New Insights and Future Directions)
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