Dear Colleagues,

1) Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still the predominant cause of death and morbidity, with atherosclerosis as the main underlying cause. Atherosclerosis is a lipid-driven, chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the build-up of subendothelial deposition of cholesterol and the formation of leukocyte-rich plaques in the intimal layer of the arteries. Innate-immunity-induced inflammation plays a major role in promoting the atherosclerotic plaque, resulting in myocardial infarction and stroke.

Inflammasome biology is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing areas in immunology. Over the past 10 years, inflammasomes have been recognized for their roles in the host defense against invading pathogens and in the development of cancer, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases. The assembly of an inflammasome complex requires cytosolic sensing of pathogen-associated molecular patterns or danger-associated molecular patterns by a nucleotidebinding domain and leucine-rich repeat receptor (NLR) or absent in melanoma 2-like receptor (ALR), which further activates caspase-1, cleaves and matures the proinflammatory cytokines. Inflammasome includes NLRP1, NLRP2, NLRP3, AIM2, and NLRC4 have attracted more attention in recent studies.

We are pleased to invite you to help clarify the mechanism of inflammasome in atherosclerosis process, which will facilitate the development of precise therapeutic strategies for CVD.

2) Since inflammasome activation has been shown to be an important mechanism driving atherogenesis, inflammation, and foam cell formation, it could emerge also as a crucial mechanism triggering vascular endothelial cell damage, vascular smooth muscle cells phenotypic switch, and subsequently, plaque destabilization. Until now, this hypothesis has not been investigated, and it could open a door to the revelation of a new mechanism in vascular pathology.

This Special Issue aims to explore and summarize the present knowledge about molecular mechanisms of immune response dysregulation in atherosclerosis induced by inflammasome disorder.

3) Suggested themes and article types for submissions.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

• Construction of early predictive or warning models for inflammasome-related CVD diseases based on inflammation/immune factors;
• Targeting important immune regulation points in atherosclerosis;
• Evaluation of anti-inflammation or immune vaccine therapy for the treatment of atherosclerosis-related disease and the atherosclerosis process;
• Role of inflammasome in regulating phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis;
• NLRP3 inflammasome-induced cardiovascular dysfunction;
• Dysregulation of tone regulation in vascular dysfunction induced by inflammasome;
• Drug and non-drug treatment towards pyroptosis in CVD.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Giampiero Girolomoni
Guest Editor

Minghao Luo
Guest Editor Assistant

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• atherosclerosis
• inflammasome
• innate immunity
• immune treatment
• pyroptosis