Cellular Stress Response in Health and Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives

Cells are exposed to numerous stress stimuli that challenge cellular functions and cell fate. Both intrinsic and extrinsic insults have the potential to cause damage to intracellular macromolecules and to the integrity of organelles, thus compromising the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. In response to stress, cells activate a complex signaling network that enables cells to prioritize cellular functions by reprogramming gene expression and protein translation until the stress is relieved. This process ultimately results in programmed cell death when the stress cannot be alleviated. Dysregulation of the stress response has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several human diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative and immune system disorders, and metabolic morbidities. Therefore, elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying stress response may provide insights into the molecular bases of several human diseases, advance the development of alternative therapeutic strategies, and identify novel biomarkers for diagnostic and predictive medicine.

This Research Topic aims to provide an updated overview of the molecular pathways involved in response to stress, including nutrient and oxygen deprivation, oxygen injury, and chemical and physical factors, such as exposure to environmental pollutants, mechanical stress, and microbial infection. The ultimate goal is to elucidate the dynamic interactions between signaling cascades and cellular functions. To achieve this, we aim to explore a wide range of stress responses, such as endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial stress, stress granule assembly, and autophagy in different cellular models. Investigations using cutting-edge technologies and methodologies will be of great interest to the topic.

We welcome contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

1. Stress response mechanisms: studies exploring molecular bases and signaling pathways including transcriptional and translational regulation, protein post-translational modifications, cross-talk between pathways, feedback loops, and regulatory networks.

2. Disease implications: articles discussing how dysregulated stress responses contribute to the development and progression of human diseases like cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, immune system diseases, and metabolic disorders.

3. Biomarker discovery: identification of stress responses-related cellular molecules as novel biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of human diseases.

4. Advanced technologies: studies utilizing cutting-edge technologies, including single-cell analysis and cryo-microscopy, to study stress response processes.

5. Therapeutic strategies: therapies targeting specific signaling cascades involved in stress response for the treatment of human diseases

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Stress response, signaling pathways, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, immune system diysorders, metabolic disorders, biomarkers, therapeutic interventions

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.