International Journal of Molecular Sciences

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Dear Colleagues,

The immune system plays a crucial role in both defending against infectious diseases and mediating the success of organ transplantation. This Special Issue of IJMS aims to delve into the intricate interplay between these two seemingly disparate fields, exploring how immunological mechanisms influence both infectious disease outcomes and transplant survival.

We invite submissions of original research articles, reviews, and commentaries that address the following key themes in transplanted patients:

Immune responses to pathogens: Understanding how the immune system recognizes and eliminates infectious agents, including the development of immune memory and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in this subset of patients.
Immunomodulation in transplantation: Exploring strategies to balance immune suppression for graft acceptance while minimizing susceptibility to infection.
The influence of the microbiome: Investigating the role of commensal microbiota in shaping immune responses to both infection and transplantation.
Personalized medicine: Tailoring immunosuppressive regimens and developing novel therapies based on individual immune profiles.

This Special Issue aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and cultivate new insights into infectious diseases and transplantation. We welcome submissions focusing on molecular biology and molecular medicine from researchers in immunology, infectious diseases, transplantation medicine, and other related fields.

We look forward to receiving your contributions!

Dr. Alessandro Perrella
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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.

Keywords

organ transplantation
infectious disease
immune responses
immunology
personalized medicine
transplantation medicine

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alteration of Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity in Acute and/or Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Prospective Cohort Study

by Eleni Gavriilaki, Maria Christoforidi, Konstantinos Ouranos, Fani Minti, Despina Mallouri, Christos Varelas, Andriana Lazaridou, Eirini Baldoumi, Alkistis Panteliadou, Zoi Bousiou, Ioannis Batsis, Ioanna Sakellari and Georgia Gioula

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 5789; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25115789 - 26 May 2024

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Abstract

Changes in gut microbiome composition have been implicated in the pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Our objective was to explore the microbial abundance in patients with GvHD after allo-HSCT. We conducted a single-center, prospective study in patients who underwent allo-HSCT and developed grade II or higher acute GvHD and/or moderate or severe chronic GvHD, to explore the microbial abundance of taxa at the phylum, family, genus, and species level, and we utilized alpha and beta diversity indices to further describe our findings. We collected fecal specimens at −2 to +2 (T1), +11 to +17 (T2), +25 to +30 (T3), +90 (T4), and +180 (T5) days to assess changes in gut microbiota, with day 0 being the day of allo-HSCT. We included 20 allo-HSCT recipients in the study. Compared with timepoint T1, at timepoint T4 we found a significant decrease in the abundance of Proteobacteria phylum (14.22% at T1 vs. 4.07% at T4, p = 0.01) and Enterobacteriaceae family (13.3% at T1 vs. <0.05% at T4, p < 0.05), as well as a significant increase in Enterococcus species (0.1% at T1 vs. 12.8% at T4, p < 0.05) in patients who developed acute GvHD. Regarding patients who developed chronic GvHD after allo-HSCT, there was a significant reduction in the abundance of Eurobactereaceae family (1.32% at T1 vs. 0.53% at T4, p < 0.05) and Roseruria genus (3.97% at T1 vs. 0.09% at T4, p < 0.05) at T4 compared with T1. Alpha and beta diversity analyses did not reveal a difference in the abundance of bacteria at the genus level in GvHD patients at T4 compared with T1. Our study reinforces results from previous studies regarding changes in gut microbiota in patients with acute GvHD and provides new data regarding the gut microbiome changes in chronic GvHD. Future studies will need to incorporate clinical parameters in their analyses to establish their association with specific changes in gut microbiota in patients with GvHD after allo-HSCT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunology of Infectious Disease and Transplantation: A Symbiotic Dance)

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6 pages, 1092 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Uncovering the Unseen: Bordetella hinzii Emerges in a Lung Transplant Recipient

by Damiana-Maria Vulturar, Benoît Pilmis, Claire Rouzaud, Anne Gigandon, Gaëlle Dauriat, Séverine Feuillet-Soummer, Liviu-Stefan Moaca, Elie Fadel, Olaf Mercier, Dominique Fabre, Olivier Lortholary and Jérôme Le Pavec

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(9), 4708; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094708 - 26 Apr 2024

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Abstract

Bordetella hinzii (B. hinzii), a Gram-negative bacillus commonly associated with respiratory infections in animals, has garnered attention for its sporadic cases in humans, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Despite its opportunistic nature, there remains limited understanding regarding its pathogenicity, diagnostic challenges, and optimal treatment strategies, especially in the context of immunosuppression. Herein, we present the first documented case of acute bronchitis caused by B. hinzii in an immunocompromised patient following double-lung transplantation. The patient, a former smoker with sarcoidosis stage IV, underwent transplant surgery and subsequently developed a febrile episode, leading to the identification of B. hinzii in broncho-alveolar lavage samples. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed resistance to multiple antibiotics, necessitating tailored treatment adjustments. Our case underscores the importance of heightened awareness among clinicians regarding B. hinzii infections and the imperative for further research to elucidate its epidemiology and optimal management strategies, particularly in immunocompromised populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunology of Infectious Disease and Transplantation: A Symbiotic Dance)

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