Advances in mucosal immunology of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi: Epithelial defense, epigenetic regulation, chronic carriage, biofilm formation, and inflammation-driven carcinogenesis

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) remains a major global health burden, causing typhoid fever and, in a subset of patients, lifelong complications. Mucosal immunity forms the first line of defense against this human-restricted pathogen, yet the mechanisms that govern epithelial defense, innate lymphocyte responses, and the balance between clearance and persistence are still poorly understood. Depending on the antibiotic regimen and the susceptibility of the infecting strain, approximately 1–5% of patients become chronic gallbladder carriers of S. Typhi. These individuals intermittently shed large numbers of bacteria, contributing to ongoing disease transmission, and face a substantially increased risk of developing gallbladder carcinoma (GBC). Understanding the immunological and microbial factors that drive chronic carriage and inflammation-driven carcinogenesis is therefore essential for improving diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.This Research Topic will highlight cutting-edge advances in the basic, translational, and clinical aspects of mucosal immunology relevant to S. Typhi infection. We aim to bring together studies exploring epithelial defense, epigenetic regulation of host immunity, chronic carriage, biofilm formation, and inflammation-driven carcinogenesis, alongside their implications for disease pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Emphasis will be placed on the epigenetic regulation of innate lymphocytes (INLs) and epithelial cells (ECs), including mechanisms that control IFN-γ production and signaling during early mucosal immune responses. We also encourage contributions investigating host–pathogen interactions that promote bacterial persistence, immune evasion, and gallbladder colonization, including the role of biofilm formation in establishing chronic infection. From a clinical perspective, we seek studies addressing the diagnosis, management, and long-term outcomes of chronic carriage, as well as factors linked to treatment failure, antimicrobial resistance, and progression to GBC. Ultimately, the Topic aims to support the development of improved diagnostics, biomarkers, vaccines, and immunotherapies.By bringing together basic scientists, immunologists, microbiologists, clinicians, surgeons, pathologists, and public health researchers, this Research Topic aims to provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying mucosal immunity, and its role in bacterial persistence, chronic carriage, and inflammation-driven carcinogenesis.We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Perspective, and clinical and translational articles on themes including, but not limited to:- Epithelial defense mechanisms during S. Typhi infection- Epigenetic regulation of innate lymphocytes and epithelial cells, including IFN-γ control- Host–pathogen interactions driving immune evasion and gallbladder colonization- Biofilm formation and its effect on immunity to infection- Development of biomarkers of immune status, vaccines, and immunotherapiesAspects of infectious disease (e.g. antibiotic therapy and resistance) unrelated to immunology are out of scope for this Journal. Bioinformatics analysis of public databases are out of scope unless accompanied by clinical or in vitro experimental validation. Topic editors: Rosangela Salerno-Goncalves, Pietro Mastroeni Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84489/advances-in-mucosal-immunology-of-salmonella-enterica-serovar-typhi-epithelial-defense-epigenetic-regulation-chronic-carriage-biofilm-formation-and-inflammation-driven-carcinogenesis