Exploring Immune-Stromal Cell Dynamics: Pathways and Therapeutic Implications

In the burgeoning field of immunology, the bidirectional interactions between immune cells and various stromal cells—including fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells, and neurons—are pivotal in maintaining normal tissue homeostasis. Recent advancements in omics technologies like single-cell and spatial transcriptomics have cast stromal cells as critical orchestrators in autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. Novel bioinformatic tools enabling the analysis of complex receptor-ligand interactions have further illuminated how dysregulated crosstalk between immune and stromal cells can contribute to the initiation and progression of such disorders. Moreover, non-traditional immunological roles identified for neurotransmitters and neuropeptides highlight the multi-faceted nature of cellular communication in immune regulation.

This Research Topic aims to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms, kinetics, and pathways that govern immune cell regulation by stromal cells and neurons and to identify new therapeutic approaches. The exploration of these pathways is crucial to developing innovations in treating diseases characterized by chronic inflammation, such as immune dysfunctions in the skin, gut, joints, and lungs. These studies hold the promise of revealing novel, potent therapies by manipulating the immune-stromal interface, despite challenges posed by the cellular heterogeneity and the dynamic phenotypic changes occurring during disease progression.

To gain further insights within this complex field, researchers are encouraged to contribute original research articles and review articles, especially those that bring human-centric translational data to the forefront, helping to map out and model the complex communications at play. Subthemes which are welcomed include:
o Fibroblast and immune crosstalk
o Neuro-immune interactions
o Tissue resident immune cells
o Tertiary lymphoid structures
o Epithelial-immune interactions
o Complex in vitro systems modeling immune-stromal crosstalk
o Novel in vivo models to study immune-stromal interactions


Note that Matthew Staron, Stacy Ryu and Stephen Gauld are AbbVie employees.