Inflammation is a general immune response to local tissue damage. In organisms where the immune response is compromised, inflammation may last longer or may be ineffective, leading to recurrent infections or other types of systemic malfunction. Various hormones, cytokines, vitamins, metabolites, and neurotransmitters are known to be key mediators of the immune response and inflammation in an endocrine/a paracrine fashion. Therefore, exploring the mechanisms underlying the production and response to these molecules might broaden the horizons for the development of novel therapeutic options aiming at the treatment disease states in which the immune response/inflammation are dysregulated. In this edition, we are interested in reviews as well as original articles that elucidate mechanisms related to the endocrine/paracrine networks of regulatory immune mediators and their targets at the cellular and molecular levels.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• The role of metabolites and vitamins in modulating inflammatory processes
• Mediators of inflammation in the context of immunosuppressive states or disease-related conditions (cancer, HIV, and diabetes)
• The role of the neuroendocrine system in the modulation of immune cell activation
• Neurotransmitter-hormone regulatory interactions modulating immune responses
• The influence of vitamin D and other vitamins on the inflammatory processes