Cell Death and Neuroimmunology

The central nervous system (CNS) is a finely tuned network that relies on the balance between neuronal survival and tightly regulated forms of cell death. In recent years, advances in the understanding of cell death, ranging from classical apoptosis to newer forms such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, have improved our understanding of their intricate connections with neuroimmunology. Cell death in the CNS is not merely a consequence of disease or injury; rather, it is a dynamic process that actively shapes the neuroimmune landscape.

When neurons, glia, or other CNS resident cells undergo regulated cell death, they release signals that can profoundly activate or modulate local immune responses. Microglia, the brain’s innate immune sentinels, and astrocytes interpret these cues, triggering cascades of neuroinflammation or resolution. Crosstalk between dying cells and infiltrating immune cells, such as T cells, B cells, and monocytes, can either drive tissue repair or contribute to escalating inflammation and neurodegeneration. Thus, the immune system is both a respondent to, and a regulator of, CNS cell death. This bidirectional dialogue is crucial in the context of neurological diseases including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, traumatic injuries, and CNS infections, where dysregulation can tip the scales toward chronic inflammation and neuronal loss.

Understanding the interplay between cell death pathways and neuroimmune responses is pivotal, not only for deciphering disease mechanisms but also for developing targeted, disease-modifying therapies. The rapidly evolving field of neuroimmunology now places cell death at the center of mechanisms underlying both CNS pathology and recovery.

This Research Topic aims to highlight the latest advances and emerging questions at the crossroads of cell death mechanisms and neuroimmunology. We invite contributions that cover fundamental biology, explore disease models, and discuss translational approaches from molecular triggers and immune responses to therapeutic interventions in both acute and chronic CNS disorders. Different article types are accepted, including original research, (mini)reviews, methods, perspectives and more.

Areas of interest might include:

Molecular mechanisms of cell death in the CNS and their immune consequences

Role of microglia and astrocytes in linking cell death to neuroinflammation

Cell death pathways in neurodegenerative and demyelinating diseases

Neuroimmune responses to infectious and traumatic CNS injury

Therapeutic modulation of cell death pathways in neurological 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: neuroimmunology, cell death

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.