Nucleic acid immunity involves a sophisticated set of mechanisms for identifying nucleic acids by immune receptors, playing a vital role in physiological processes. This system's dysfunction can impair innate immune functions and lead to immunosenescence. Recently, an expanding range of research has linked the elements of nucleic acid immunity to neurodegenerative diseases. Sensors like cGAS and the oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) protein family, which detect cytosolic nucleic acids, have been found to affect the molecular processes in central nervous system diseases, such as neurodegenerative dementia and multiple sclerosis. Furthermore, nucleic acid homeostasis mechanisms, exemplified by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins, contribute to immune sensing and modulation, which are central to neurodegeneration. These findings offer new insights into longstanding questions about the role of infection and innate immunity in neurodegenerative diseases and suggest that immune processes related to nucleic acid homeostasis are critical, beyond mere gene product dysfunction.

This Research Topic aims to investigate the observational and mechanistic sides of nucleic acid immunity and its impact on neurodegeneration. Our goal is to uncover how these immune system components influence the onset and progression of neurodegenerative illnesses, potentially leading to innovative therapeutic approaches and reshaping our understanding of these diseases by highlighting their immune-related aspects.

To gather further insights into the complex interactions between nucleic acid immunity and neurodegeneration, we welcome submissions across a diverse range of manuscript types supported by the journal (including Original Research, Reviews, Brief Research Reports, Perspectives, Protocols, Mini-Review, etc.). These manuscripts should explore, but not be limited to, the following themes:
- Clinical research and genetic population studies exploring nucleic acid immunity and neurodegenerative diseases or brain aging
- DNA and RNA sensors, inflammasomes, and neurotoxicity in neurodegenerative diseases
- The interplay between nucleic acid immune receptors, DNA damage response, aging, and age-associated neurological diseases.
- The relationship between humoral immune responses to nucleic acid antigens and neurological diseases.
- Circulating immunological biomarkers related to nucleic acids and neurodegeneration
- Interferon signaling and neurotoxicity, and the roles of exosomes in intercellular communication
- General immune receptors and tools (Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), Toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), CRISPR) and neurodegenerative diseases
- cGAS-STING pathway and neuroinflammation
- Computational biology studies modeling new mechanisms and interactions, predicting the consequences of aberrant nucleic acid immunity

Articles accepted after peer review will be published and appear online as soon as approved for publication.

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Nucleic Acid Immunity in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Clinical to Molecular Insights