The Role of Transmembrane Mucins in Lung Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Transmembrane mucins play a key role in the lung, and are mainly implicated in the process of cellular proliferation, growth, and apoptosis, with increased expression in injured or regenerating epithelial cells (e.g., Krebs von den Lungen-6/MUC1, MUC4, and MUC16). Recently, there has been growing interest in the investigation of the diagnostic and prognostic role of mucins in different lung diseases, including interstitial lung disease (ILD) as well as lung cancer and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This has highlighted the role of transmembrane mucins in rheumatologic disorders associated with ILD and the need to identify patients with lung involvement because of the inexorably worsening condition of patients with concomitant interstitial lung involvement. Moreover, since the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 pandemic, the usefulness of mucins for monitoring disease severity has been suggested. This Topic calls for original research articles, brief reports, and review articles focusing on the role of transmembrane mucins in the field of lung disorders.

Dr. Miriana D’Alessandro
Dr. Edoardo Conticini
Dr. Elena Bargagli
Dr. Lucia Vietri
Dr. Laura Bergantini
Dr. Donato Lacedonia
Topic Editors