Dear Colleagues,

Ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) is a clinical condition caused by the sudden deprivation or dramatic reduction in blood supply to an organ or tissue followed by restoration of blood flow. Sustained ischemia results in a deficient supply of oxygen, nutrients and other molecules, which generates tissue damage, which is proportional to its intensity and duration. In addition to direct cellular damage generated by hypoxia (decreased intracellular ATP and pH and increased calcium levels, among others), multiple proinflammatory molecules mobilize and recruit leukocytes, which release reactive oxygen species (ROS), endothelial activators, and proteolytic enzymes. Blood flow restoration to the ischemic territory induces by itself an exacerbation of this damage, due to a combination of several factors, such as the presence of reactive oxygen species, the action of cytokines or neutrophils, and the activation of the complement system or changes in capillary permeability.

The causes of this syndrome are diverse. IRI is an inherent condition following major cardiovascular surgeries (which leads to low cardiac output), solid organ transplants (lung, liver, etc.), or orthopedic surgeries performed under induced ischemia. However, this disorder can also suddenly originate from a vascular spasm or thromboembolism that deprives an organ or region of adequate blood supply.  This condition can occur in different locations, such as the myocardium, retina, or intestine, among others. Furthermore, this syndrome does not only affect adult individuals, since IRI is also responsible for the pathological mechanisms underlying the long-term neurological damage in newborns suffering from perinatal hypoxia.

The purpose of this Special Issue of Antioxidants is to show the most recent advances in the application of therapies aimed at minimizing, reducing or even preventing IRI damage in different organs or systems, regardless of its causes. These therapies may involve both well-known natural and synthetic antioxidants, as well as new options based on the administration of stem cells or its derivative products (secretome) as therapeutic strategies. This Special Issue calls for original research papers and in-depth reviews that address i) a better understanding of the underlying molecular processes involved in IRI; ii), the progress and current status of the therapeutic management of IRI; and iii) aspects related to the preservation of the organ function, due to their special clinical interest.

Contributions need not be limited to the fields mentioned in the keywords. Authors of review papers are kindly requested to make a pre-submission inquiry with a brief outline to the Editors.

Prof. Dr. Ana Alonso-Varona
Dr. Ignacio García-Alonso
Dr. Borja Herrero de la Parte
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.