COPD is a common, preventable, and treatable heterogeneous disease, with its incidence related to harmful factor exposure and host factors. Its clinical manifestations and disease progression show high heterogeneity, and currently, lung function testing-based diagnostic methods are not the best indicators for predicting COPD exacerbation and death. The pathogenesis of COPD is complex, and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying disease occurrence and development are not fully understood.
Bioactive small molecules, which are usually small in size, have a simple structure, a broad tissue distribution, diverse biological effects, rapid synthesis and metabolism, and low immunogenicity. They are the material basis for regulating the nervous, endocrine, and immune networks and are essential for self-regulation. Members of this group include small protein molecules, gas signaling molecules, active peptides, active amino acids and derivatives, amine substances, lipid mediators, and metal ions, among others. The respiratory system is a vital target organ for bioactive small molecules. It can act on the respiratory system through paracrine or autocrine mechanisms. However, currently available small-molecule drugs for treatment have not achieved the expected clinical efficacy.
To date, no effective drug treatment has been found that can significantly slow down the progression of COPD, nor any effective drug that can reverse persistent airflow limitation. Therefore, screening bioactive small molecules as warning signal molecules for the progression of COPD and further studying their underlying mechanisms is of great significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of COPD.
Original Research Articles and Review will be welcome.
Scope and information
Identification and validation of bioactive small molecules for diagnosis and prognosis of COPD：
- Development and validation of high-quality prediction models
- Studies on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of bioactive small molecules
- Underlying the pathogenesis and progression of COPD
- Development of novel therapeutic strategies for COPD treatment based on underlying mechanisms
Keywords
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- small bioactive molecules
- mechanism
- treatment target
All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.
The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 October,2023.
Prof. Yahong Chen's research interests have focused on the clinical translational research in chronic airway inflammatory diseases. Her team have participated in "China Pulmonary Health Study (CPHS)" and the results were published in Lancet. She has established the COPD database and followed them up regularly. Prof. Chen has been awarded several national grants and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles.
Prof. Wei Wang has been mainly engaged in the immunologic research of allergy and chronic respiratory diseases. She has participated in 19 scientific research projects such as major projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles. Prof. Wang has been awarded as a New Star of Science and Technology in Beijing, one second prize of Beijing Science and Technology Award (Natural Science Award) and got 2 national invention patents.
Prof. Jing Wang's research interests include the pathological mechanisms, molecular diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Her works have been published in Nat Med, Circulation, Circ Res, J Clin Invest, EMBO Mol Med, PNAS, and Sig Transduct Target Ther. In addition, Prof. Wang has served as the secretary general of the Beijing Association for Physiological Sciences, and a member of the Society for Vascular Medicine - Chinese Association of Pathophysiology.
Disclosure statement: Prof. Yahong Chen, Prof. Wei Wang and Prof. Jing Wang declare there is no conflict of interest.
