This Special Issue will cover lipids in their broadest sense, including different classes and types of lipids and lipid-containing particles, triglycerides, Lp(a), PCSK9, and apoCIII as well as the metabolism of lipids in cells and tissues, lipid transport, etc. Review and research articles as well as methodology papers that summarize and investigate the roles of lipids in various physiological processes, pathologies and diseases are welcome.

Lipid levels and inflammation are known to be related to each other. Lipid accumulation and the inflammatory response are two events that occur in many processes in both normal conditions and in pathological disorders. Current knowledge links lipid-induced activation of the innate and adaptive immunity to the chronic inflammation that explains many mechanisms of pathologies. This Special Issue is focused on the current progress in genetic studies, drug discovery and drug application in diseases. During the recent years, great advances in genetic studies and the accumulating pool of available data made possible the discovery of the molecular mechanisms of a number of chronic human pathologies along with the investigation of genetic predispositions to various disorders and the identification of numerous potential therapeutic targets. In turn, a number of preclinical and clinical trials that collected important data on the safety and efficacy of new drugs followed this progress. Research articles provide numerous examples of the successful development and application of drugs and gene therapies for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other human pathologies. Moreover, a significant amount of data is coming from clinical applications and molecular studies of traditional medicines.

This Special Issue aims to translate the results of basic research into guidance for the management of various diseases. In particular, the Special Issue will focus on atherosclerosis. Extra- and intracellular deposition of lipids, predominantly of cholesteryl esters, in arterial intima is one of the earliest manifestations of atherosclerosis. The formation of lipid-laden foam cells is recognized as a trigger in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) circulating in human blood is the source of the lipids that accumulate in arterial cells. For accumulation to occur, LDL particles must undergo chemical modification. Studies of the role of modified LDL should reveal a fundamental modification of LDL that makes it atherogenic. Large-scale epidemiological studies have firmly established the association between low plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. This relationship is thought to reflect the key biological function of HDL, which involves reserve cholesterol transport from the arterial wall to the liver for further excretion from the body. Systemic and vascular inflammation has been proposed to convert HDL to a dysfunctional form that has impaired antiatherogenic effects. A loss of anti-inflammatory and antioxidative proteins, perhaps in combination with a gain of proinflammatory proteins, might be another important component in rendering HDL dysfunctional.

The Special Issue will cover basic, translational, clinical and applied research in relevant fields. Original or Review papers are welcome.

Priority will be given to the same high standards of peer review and publication process for these articles. All publications will open free access to all readers. We guarantee that all accepted papers related to Lipids and Inflammation in Health and Disease will be highlighted in a special section on our website.