Mechanisms of cytoskeletal control in inflammatory leukocyte trafficking

Leukocyte migration is a fundamental aspect of immunology, as it enables immune cells to reach and address sites of infection or tissue injury during inflammation. The cytoskeleton—comprising actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments—is central to this process, orchestrating dynamic changes in cell shape, motility, and polarity. Despite advances in cell biology and molecular signaling, key questions remain about how cytoskeletal regulation integrates with broader inflammatory signals to drive both protective and pathological immune responses. Notably, abnormal leukocyte trafficking is associated with chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, illuminating the urgent need for deeper understanding in this area.

Recent studies have elucidated the roles of actin regulators, such as Rho GTPases, and microtubule dynamics in guiding the protrusive and adhesive behaviors necessary for effective leukocyte navigation. The molecular pathways that mediate chemokine sensing, integrin activation, and cytoskeletal remodeling during transmigration are being rapidly unraveled, providing insight into how immune cells interact with tissue environments under inflammatory stress. Nevertheless, much remains to be understood regarding how aberrant cytoskeletal signaling leads to excessive or unresolved inflammation, and how these processes can be therapeutically modulated.

This Research Topic aims to investigate how cytoskeletal dynamics govern leukocyte migration within the broader context of inflammatory responses. The primary objectives are to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying immune cell motility, determine how these processes shape inflammation initiation and resolution, and explore novel approaches to regulate leukocyte trafficking for therapeutic benefit. Specifically, this includes identifying how cytoskeletal regulators control response specificity, amplifying or constraining inflammation in health and disease.

To gather further insights in the regulation of leukocyte migration in inflammation, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

-Signal transduction linking inflammatory cues to cytoskeletal remodeling
-The roles of actin, microtubule, and intermediate filament networks in leukocyte motility
-Mechanisms driving leukocyte adhesion, transmigration, and tissue infiltration
-Implications of dysregulated cytoskeletal dynamics in chronic and autoimmune inflammation
-Therapeutic strategies targeting cytoskeletal pathways to modulate immune responses
-Crosstalk between innate and adaptive immunity via cytoskeletal control
-Imaging and modeling approaches to visualize and quantify leukocyte migration in vivo

Note: As per the Inflammation section’s scope, manuscripts based solely on bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic datasets, without robust and relevant validation (e.g., confirmation in an independent patient cohort or through PCR), are considered out of scope.

The topic editors declare no conflict of interest