Pharmacological Modulation of Inflammation in Autoimmune Diseases and Cancer
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 January 2026 | Viewed by 31
Special Issue Editors
Interests: microenvironment; tumor targeting; pharmacokinetics; toxicology; telomerase; nanoparticles for drug delivery; chemotherapy; pharmacodynamics; inflammation; neurosciences in cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: inflammation; innate immunity; immunity; cancer biology; cellular immunology; toxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Inflammation is a complex biological response crucial for host defense, tissue repair, and the cancer microenvironment. However, its dysregulation contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and cancer. In autoimmune disorders, the aberrant activation of immune pathways leads to chronic inflammation, resulting in tissue damage and organ dysfunction. Conversely, in cancer, the inflammatory microenvironment can both promote tumor initiation and support progression by fostering angiogenesis, immune evasion, and metastasis.
Recent pharmacological advances have focused on targeting key inflammatory mediators and signaling pathways shared across autoimmune diseases and cancer. Small molecules, monoclonal antibodies, and biologics targeting cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17, as well as intracellular signaling cascades like JAK/STAT and NF-κB, have demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Simultaneously, these inflammatory axes are increasingly recognized as pivotal in the tumor microenvironment, offering novel targets for cancer therapy.
Moreover, immune checkpoint inhibitors, while revolutionizing cancer treatment, often trigger immune-related adverse events resembling autoimmune conditions, highlighting the intertwined nature of immune modulation in these pathologies. Thus, a deeper understanding of inflammation’s dualistic role is critical for developing therapeutics that can finely tune immune responses without tipping the balance toward pathological autoimmunity or immune escape in cancer.
This Special Issue invites original research manuscripts and reviews focusing on innovative pharmacological strategies to modulate inflammation in autoimmune diseases and cancer. We welcome studies on novel drug candidates, repurposing existing agents, mechanisms of action, biomarker discovery, and translational approaches that bridge basic immunology with clinical application. Contributions addressing the challenges of balancing clinical efficacy with safety in immunomodulatory therapy and basic biology research in this field are particularly encouraged.
Dr. Donato Colangelo
Dr. Stelvio Tonello
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- microenvironment
- TRAP
- NET
- tumor niche
- exosomes
- neuromodulation of tumor growth
- autoimmune diseases
- pharmacology
- biomarkers
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