Children immunity: From pediatric diseases to autoimmune disorders. Biomarkers, mechanisms, and diagnostic frontiers

The immune system in children is a dynamic, still-maturing network whose dysfunction underlies two apparently disparate classes of disease: infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders. Pediatric cancers and infectious diseases alter cytokine and chemokine networks, and trigger the production of tumor-associated autoantibodies. Conversely, childhood autoimmune conditions (ranging from nephrotic syndrome and juvenile idiopathic arthritis to inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes, thyroid diseases) involve immune dysregulation patterns that share molecular underpinnings with oncogenesis, including aberrant B-cell activation, skewed cytokine production, and loss of self-tolerance. The molecular bridge connecting these two spectra is increasingly recognized in the shared activity of immune mediators such as the BAFF/APRIL axis, pro-inflammatory interleukins (IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-17), interferons, and matrix metalloproteinases, molecules that regulate immune cell survival, tissue remodeling, and inflammatory amplification in both settings. Understanding how these mediators behave across different pediatric diseases is essential to developing sensitive, specific, and clinically actionable diagnostic and prognostic tools.Despite advances in adult immunology, the pediatric immune landscape remains relatively understudied. The immaturity of the immune system at birth and its progressive education throughout childhood introduce unique vulnerabilities and protective mechanisms that do not translate directly from adult data. The diagnostic gap is particularly acute: biomarkers validated in adult oncology or adult autoimmunity often perform differently in children, and dedicated pediatric reference ranges and disease-specific panels are lacking. Autoantibody profiling, cytokine and chemokine quantification, and biochemical enzyme activity measurements have shown early promise as non-invasive tools for earlier detection, disease monitoring, and treatment response evaluation in both pediatric diseases and autoimmune conditions. Integrating these approaches with nutritional and metabolic markers (including vitamin status, mineral homeostasis, and adipokine profiles) adds another layer of precision relevant to immune function in childhood.This Research Topic invites original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and hypothesis-driven perspectives that address immune mechanisms, biomarker discovery, and diagnostic innovation at the intersection of pediatric diseases and autoimmune disorders. We particularly welcome contributions exploring: - The role of cytokines and chemokines (including IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IFN-γ,TNF-α CCL3, CCL7, ) as diagnostic and prognostic markers in children- Autoantibody signatures in pediatric autoimmune diseases; immune cell function and leukocyte activation in pediatric inflammatory conditions- The contribution of matrix metalloproteinases to disease progression and tissue damage- Metabolic and nutritional modulators of immunity in the pediatric age group- Nnovel biochemical diagnostic strategies for early detection and disease monitoring. - Studies on specific pediatric conditions: including nephrotic syndrome, cystic fibrosis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, childhood-onset lupus, thyroid diseases , neuroinflammatory syndromes, and obesity-related immune dysregulation, are particularly encouraged.By assembling cutting-edge research across these interconnected fields, this Research Topic aims to accelerate the translation of immunological insights into improved diagnostic tools and clinical management strategies for children affected by immune-mediated diseases. Topic editors: Beata Żelazowska-Rutkowska, Adriana Almeida de Jesus, Karolina Orywal Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83324/children-immunity-from-pediatric-diseases-to-autoimmune-disorders-biomarkers-mechanisms-and-diagnostic-frontiers