The concept of immunomodulation of human innate immunity has emerged as a promising approach to regulating the host’s immune responses. In this respect, key innate immune players such as macrophages and dendritic cells DCs, serve as central targets for several immunomodulators. Thus, the contribution of both types of innate immune cells remains indispensable for our ability to fight various diseases such as cancer, infection, allergy, and autoimmunity.
Endogenous immunomodulators, such as cytokines and other human molecules, have been extensively studied for their ability to modulate the function of human DCs and macrophages through inducing their differentiation, polarization, maturation, or activation. Nevertheless, data in the literature have been less focused on evaluating the ability of exogenous immunomodulators to affect the aforementioned processes in human macrophages and DCs. Such exogenous immunomodulators encompass, but are not limited to, killed bacteria, bacteria-based probiotics, bacteria-derived structures (e.g. beta-glucan, dextran, muramyl dipeptide, monophosphoryl lipid A), vitamins (A and D), drugs (Imiquimod, Docetaxel, Rabeximod), herbal extracts, nanoparticles and biomaterials. It is of high relevance to be able to demonstrate the properties of these exogenous immunomodulators that could lead to the selection of potential treatments of diseases that are linked to defective differentiation, polarization, and activation of human innate immune cells.
There has been quite an array of types of macrophages reported to be polarized by different endogenous immunomodulators (cytokines and growth factors) with a lot of contradictory data in the literature. Within this context, the dogma of polarization of human macrophages into M1 and M2 phenotypes has been put into question and some microbes have been recently reported to induce human macrophage types that do not belong to either phenotype. Moreover, with the scarcity of publications that address the concept of DC polarization, it becomes imperative to analyze this aspect in an in vitro/in vivo/ex vivo setting.
The aim of this research topic is to address the role of novel and already known exogenous immunomodulators in regulating the function and phenotypes of macrophages and DCs and to decipher their mechanism of action via a single or combinatorial process(es) of cell activation, differentiation, maturation or polarization. Therefore, shedding light on the mechanism of action of exogenous immunomodulators might pave the way for their potential clinical applications.
Contributors to this research topic are welcome to submit original research, brief research report, mini review, review, perspective, general commentary, or opinion that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
1- Human macrophage activation, polarization, and differentiation by exogenous immunomodulators
2- Human DC differentiation, maturation, and activation by exogenous immunomodulators
3- Regulation of human DC and macrophage functions by exogenous immunomodulators
4- Receptor activation and regulation of DCs and macrophages
The concept of immunomodulation of human innate immunity has emerged as a promising approach to regulating the host’s immune responses. In this respect, key innate immune players such as macrophages and dendritic cells DCs, serve as central targets for several immunomodulators. Thus, the contribution of both types of innate immune cells remains indispensable for our ability to fight various diseases such as cancer, infection, allergy, and autoimmunity.
Endogenous immunomodulators, such as cytokines and other human molecules, have been extensively studied for their ability to modulate the function of human DCs and macrophages through inducing their differentiation, polarization, maturation, or activation. Nevertheless, data in the literature have been less focused on evaluating the ability of exogenous immunomodulators to affect the aforementioned processes in human macrophages and DCs. Such exogenous immunomodulators encompass, but are not limited to, killed bacteria, bacteria-based probiotics, bacteria-derived structures (e.g. beta-glucan, dextran, muramyl dipeptide, monophosphoryl lipid A), vitamins (A and D), drugs (Imiquimod, Docetaxel, Rabeximod), herbal extracts, nanoparticles and biomaterials. It is of high relevance to be able to demonstrate the properties of these exogenous immunomodulators that could lead to the selection of potential treatments of diseases that are linked to defective differentiation, polarization, and activation of human innate immune cells.
There has been quite an array of types of macrophages reported to be polarized by different endogenous immunomodulators (cytokines and growth factors) with a lot of contradictory data in the literature. Within this context, the dogma of polarization of human macrophages into M1 and M2 phenotypes has been put into question and some microbes have been recently reported to induce human macrophage types that do not belong to either phenotype. Moreover, with the scarcity of publications that address the concept of DC polarization, it becomes imperative to analyze this aspect in an in vitro/in vivo/ex vivo setting.
The aim of this research topic is to address the role of novel and already known exogenous immunomodulators in regulating the function and phenotypes of macrophages and DCs and to decipher their mechanism of action via a single or combinatorial process(es) of cell activation, differentiation, maturation or polarization. Therefore, shedding light on the mechanism of action of exogenous immunomodulators might pave the way for their potential clinical applications.
Contributors to this research topic are welcome to submit original research, brief research report, mini review, review, perspective, general commentary, or opinion that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
1- Human macrophage activation, polarization, and differentiation by exogenous immunomodulators
2- Human DC differentiation, maturation, and activation by exogenous immunomodulators
3- Regulation of human DC and macrophage functions by exogenous immunomodulators
4- Receptor activation and regulation of DCs and macrophages
