Inflammatory stress

Inflammatory stress is a complex physiological and pathological state characterized by the chronic or excessive activation of inflammatory signaling pathways and the sustained production of pro-inflammatory mediators [PubMed: 28148946]. It represents a systemic or localized response to various stressors, including oxidative damage, metabolic dysfunction, or persistent infection [NCBI: NBK493173]. At the cellular level, this state is mediated through the activation of key transcription factors like NF-kappaB and protein kinases such as JNK and p38 MAPK, which drive the expression of cytokines and chemokines [UniProt: P19838]. While acute inflammation is a vital component of the host defense and repair mechanism, chronic inflammatory stress is a primary driver of numerous non-communicable diseases, including atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegeneration [PubMed: 31064870]. Because inflammatory stress is a multifaceted biological process rather than a single protein or receptor, it is not categorized as a discrete therapeutic target; instead, therapeutic intervention typically focuses on specific enzymes, receptors, or cytokines within the inflammatory cascade [Nature Reviews Drug Discovery: 10.1038/nrd.2017.243].

Other names

Chronic inflammationCellular inflammatory stressSystemic inflammatory responseInflammation-induced stressPro-inflammatory state

Not applicable as this is a physiological state or pathological process rather than a specific molecular target.