The Pathogenesis and Treatment of Immune-Mediated Disease

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Immune-mediated diseases encompass a broad spectrum of conditions driven by dysregulated immune responses, including autoimmunity, chronic inflammation, immunodeficiency, and aberrant host–pathogen interactions. Despite significant advances, the mechanisms underlying their initiation, progression, and persistence remain only partially understood. Moreover, the development of targeted and personalized therapeutic strategies is a persistent significant challenge in this field.

In this Topic, we aim to gather high-quality original research and comprehensive reviews that advance the understanding of the cellular, molecular, and biochemical pathways involved in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases. We particularly welcome studies that explore innovative therapeutic approaches, biomarkers of disease activity, immune regulation, host–pathogen interactions, and translational strategies leading to improved patient outcomes.

The scope of this Topic includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Mechanisms of immune dysregulation in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases;
• The role of innate and adaptive immune cells in disease pathogenesis;
• Immune signaling pathways, cytokine networks, and molecular mediators;
• Host–pathogen interactions in chronic or immune-triggering infections;
• Aging, immunosenescence, and their contribution to immune-mediated pathology;
• Biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring;
• Novel immunotherapies, biologics, and targeted treatments;
• Systems biology, multi-omics, and computational approaches to immune disease.

We encourage authors to submit research from the basic, translational, and clinical levels to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that drive immune-mediated diseases and to identify approaches that can improve therapeutic management.

Dr. Ranferi Ocaña-Guzmán
Dr. Lucero A. Ramon-Luing
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Biomedicines biomedicines	3.9	6.8	2013	21 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
International Journal of Molecular Sciences ijms	4.9	9.0	2000	17.8 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Medical Sciences medsci	4.4	8.7	2013	18.7 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
Pharmaceuticals pharmaceuticals	4.8	7.7	2004	16 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Cells cells	5.2	10.5	2012	15.5 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Pathogens pathogens	3.3	6.8	2012	14.1 Days	CHF 2200	Submit
Biologics biologics	-	7.2	2021	31.4 Days	CHF 1200	Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Open AccessSystematic Review

Systematic Review of Monoclonal Antibody Therapies in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: Comparator-Stratified Analysis of Relapse and Disability Outcomes

by Alin Ciubotaru, Cristina Grosu, Alexandra Maștaleru, Victor Constantinescu, Daniel Alexa, Roxana Covali, Laura Riscanu, Robert-Valentin Bilcu, Laura-Elena Cucu, Cristina Gațcan, Sofia Alexandra Socolov-Mihaita, Diana Lăcătușu, Florina Crivoi, Albert Vamanu, Alexandru Patrascu and Emilian Bogdan Ignat

Med. Sci. 2026, 14(1), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14010116 - 27 Feb 2026

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Abstract

The Background: monoclonal antibody therapies represent high-efficacy treatment options for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the absence of direct head-to-head randomized trials and the use of heterogeneous comparators across pivotal studies complicate comparative effectiveness assessments. While network meta-analysis (NMA) offers a [...] Read more.

The Background: monoclonal antibody therapies represent high-efficacy treatment options for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the absence of direct head-to-head randomized trials and the use of heterogeneous comparators across pivotal studies complicate comparative effectiveness assessments. While network meta-analysis (NMA) offers a framework to integrate evidence, the fragmented structure of the available evidence base precludes a conventional NMA with global indirect comparisons and treatment ranking. Methods: A systematic review with qualitative assessment of treatment effects of randomized controlled trials evaluating monoclonal antibody therapies in relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis was conducted. Annualized relapse rate (ARR) was analyzed as the primary outcome, and six-month confirmed disability progression (CDP) as the key secondary outcome. Network geometry and connectivity were explicitly assessed for each outcome prior to quantitative synthesis. Analyses were restricted to comparator-defined connected components of the evidence base, and indirect comparisons across disconnected components were not performed. Sensitivity analyses, including descriptive analyses in progressive multiple sclerosis, were conducted where appropriate. Results: nine randomized controlled trials involving 6762 patients were included. For ARR, the evidence network was fragmented into three disconnected components defined by placebo-, interferon beta-1a-, and teriflunomide-controlled trials. Within connected sub-networks, monoclonal antibody therapies consistently demonstrated substantial reductions in ARR relative to their respective comparators, with overlapping confidence intervals suggesting broadly comparable relapse suppression among high-efficacy agents. For CDP, network connectivity was more limited, and treatment effects were more heterogeneous. Significant reductions in disability progression were observed for some agents within comparator-specific networks, while uncertainty remained for others. Due to network disconnection, no global treatment ranking was performed. Conclusions: this study provides a transparent synthesis of randomized evidence on monoclonal antibody therapies in relapsing MS. By explicitly accounting for network connectivity and comparator heterogeneity, the analysis avoids unsupported indirect comparisons and global treatment hierarchies. The findings support robust relapse suppression across monoclonal antibody therapies within comparable trial frameworks, while highlighting heterogeneity in disability outcomes. These results illustrate the importance of contextual interpretation in comparative effectiveness research in MS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic The Pathogenesis and Treatment of Immune-Mediated Disease)

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Open AccessArticle

Identification and Mechanism Research of Oxidative Stress-Related Biomarkers in Oral Lichen Planus

by Qiao Peng, Xiangwen Bu, Shixian Zang, Ning Duan, Xiang Wang and Wenmei Wang

Biomedicines 2026, 14(2), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14020420 - 13 Feb 2026

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Abstract

Background: Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in oral lichen planus (OLP) development; however, the precise functions of the genes associated with OS (OSRGs) remain unclear. This study aimed to identify and characterize OS-linked molecular markers in OLP. Methods: Data were obtained [...] Read more.

Background: Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in oral lichen planus (OLP) development; however, the precise functions of the genes associated with OS (OSRGs) remain unclear. This study aimed to identify and characterize OS-linked molecular markers in OLP. Methods: Data were obtained from the GSE38616 and GSE211630 datasets, along with 467 OSRGs. Candidate genes were identified by cross-referencing differentially expressed genes with OSRGs. Biomarkers were then selected through a protein–protein interaction network analysis using Cytoscape. Functional enrichment analysis, regulatory network mapping, therapeutic compound prediction, molecular docking simulations, and RNA modification profiling were also performed. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to characterize biomarker distribution among the distinct cell populations. Gene expression was validated using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Five genes emerged as key biomarkers: TGFB1, KLF4, TNF, NQO1, and MMP9. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these markers are involved in immune regulatory pathways between lymphoid and nonlymphoid cellular compartments. Network analysis identified hsa-miR-449a and hsa-miR-449b-5p as potential regulators of NQO1 and KLF4. Pharmaceutical screening identified several potential therapeutic compounds, such as meropenem anhydrous and hydroxyurea, which exhibit targeted binding affinity for key biomarkers. Docking simulations indicated robust binding interactions (binding energies < −5 kcal/mol) for most compound–biomarker combinations, excluding the KLF4–hydroxyurea pairing. In addition, putative m6A methylation sites were identified in the TNF, KLF4, and TGFB1 transcripts. Single-cell analysis identified T lymphocytes as the primary cell type of interest, with TGFB1 expression increasing progressively during T-cell maturation. Validation by qRT-PCR confirmed the transcriptomic results, demonstrating elevated expression of TGFB1, TNF, and MMP9, along with reduced NQO1 expression in OLP tissues. Conclusions: TGFB1, KLF4, TNF, NQO1, and MMP9 were identified as potential OS-associated biomarkers in OLP. These findings provide insights into disease mechanisms and reveal potential therapeutic targets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic The Pathogenesis and Treatment of Immune-Mediated Disease)

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