Aims & Scope
International Journal of Vasculitis (IJV) publishes mechanistic research elucidating the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of vasculitis and vascular inflammatory disorders, from immune dysregulation to organ-specific pathogenesis.
We do NOT consider clinical management protocols, treatment guidelines, or patient care studies.
Core Research Domains
Immunopathological Mechanisms
- ANCA-mediated neutrophil activation pathways
- Complement cascade dysregulation in vasculitis
- T-cell and B-cell immune responses in vessel inflammation
- Cytokine networks and inflammatory mediators
- Autoantibody generation and epitope spreading
- Innate immunity and pattern recognition in vascular injury
Mechanistic study of NET formation in ANCA-associated vasculitis using in vitro neutrophil models
Molecular Pathogenesis
- Genetic susceptibility loci and polymorphisms
- Epigenetic modifications in vasculitic disorders
- Signal transduction pathways in endothelial dysfunction
- Transcriptomic and proteomic profiling
- MicroRNA regulation in vascular inflammation
- Metabolomic alterations in disease progression
Genome-wide association study identifying novel risk alleles for giant cell arteritis
Vascular Biology & Endothelial Pathophysiology
- Endothelial cell activation and dysfunction mechanisms
- Vascular remodeling and fibrosis pathways
- Leukocyte-endothelial interactions and adhesion molecules
- Angiogenesis and neovascularization in vasculitis
- Oxidative stress and nitric oxide signaling
- Extracellular matrix degradation and vessel wall integrity
Investigation of endothelial glycocalyx disruption in small vessel vasculitis using advanced microscopy
Biomarker Discovery & Validation
- Novel serological markers for disease activity
- Cellular biomarkers in peripheral blood and tissue
- Imaging biomarkers for vascular inflammation
- Predictive markers for disease relapse
- Molecular signatures distinguishing vasculitis subtypes
- Biomarker validation in experimental models
Identification of circulating endothelial microparticles as biomarkers for Takayasu arteritis activity
Secondary Focus Areas
Experimental Disease Models
Development and characterization of in vitro, ex vivo, and animal models recapitulating vasculitis pathophysiology for mechanistic investigation.
Organ-Specific Pathogenesis
Molecular mechanisms of organ damage in vasculitis including renal, pulmonary, neurological, and cardiac manifestations at the cellular level.
Microbiome & Environmental Triggers
Investigation of microbial dysbiosis, pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and environmental factors triggering immune dysregulation in vasculitis.
Computational & Systems Biology
Network analysis, pathway modeling, machine learning approaches for understanding complex molecular interactions in vasculitic diseases.
Comparative Pathophysiology
Cross-disease mechanistic comparisons between different vasculitis subtypes or with other autoimmune vascular disorders.
Methodological Innovations
Novel techniques for studying vascular inflammation including advanced imaging, single-cell analysis, spatial transcriptomics, and organoid systems.
Emerging Research Frontiers
Immunometabolism in Vasculitis
Metabolic reprogramming of immune cells and endothelial cells during vascular inflammation and its role in disease pathogenesis.
Extracellular Vesicles & Cell Communication
Role of exosomes, microvesicles, and other extracellular vesicles in intercellular signaling and disease propagation.
Vascular Aging & Senescence
Cellular senescence mechanisms, inflammaging, and age-related susceptibility to vasculitic disorders at the molecular level.
Precision Medicine Approaches
Molecular stratification, pharmacogenomics, and mechanistic understanding of treatment response heterogeneity in vasculitis.
Note: Emerging area submissions undergo additional editorial review to ensure strong mechanistic focus and methodological rigor. Preliminary or exploratory studies should demonstrate clear pathophysiological relevance.
Out of Scope
Studies focused on therapeutic regimens, drug dosing, treatment algorithms, or clinical practice guidelines without mechanistic investigation.
Observational studies of clinical outcomes, survival analysis, quality of life assessments, or prognostic factor identification without molecular mechanisms.
Development or validation of diagnostic criteria, clinical scoring systems, or disease activity indices without pathophysiological basis.
Individual patient presentations, unusual clinical manifestations, or small case series lacking mechanistic insights or experimental validation.
Purely descriptive epidemiological studies, prevalence surveys, or risk factor analyses without molecular or cellular investigation.
Article Types & Priorities
Fast-Track Review
Standard Review
Exceptional Circumstances Only
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
ARRIVE for animal studies, MIQE for qPCR, STROBE for observational research, PRISMA for systematic reviews
Data Transparency
Raw data deposition in public repositories required. Omics data must follow FAIR principles with accession numbers.
Ethics Compliance
IRB/IACUC approval mandatory. Human studies require informed consent. Animal research must justify 3Rs principles.
Preprint Policy
Preprint posting encouraged. Does not preclude consideration. Must be disclosed during submission.
Statistical Rigor
Power calculations, effect sizes, and multiple testing corrections required. Reproducibility documentation essential.
Methodological Detail
Sufficient detail for replication. Antibody validation, reagent sources, and experimental protocols fully documented.
