Plants, algae, fungi and cyanobacteria are a rich source of lectins with different specificities and have proven to act as carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs) for multiple pathogenic viruses, such as HIV-1. Especially, mannose-specific lectins target the high-mannose glycans of gp120 and gp40 surface glycoproteins of HIV-1, preventing the entry of viral particles into the host cells. In addition, other mechanisms involving CD4+ T cells play a key role in the anti-viral effects of lectins. Due to the high degree of N- and O-glycosylation on their envelope proteins, many pathogenic enveloped viruses could serve as targets for lectins with different specificities. Binding of the lectins could prevent these viruses from entering the corresponding host cells. However, the mechanisms underlining the in vitro and in vivo effects of lectins towards different enveloped viruses such as Ebola virus, Lassa virus, Zika and dengue virus, herpes virus, influenza virus, human cytomegalovirus and many others, are still poorly known, remain a matter of debate, and thus deserve to be studied in detail. This is also the case for enveloped viruses responsible for respiratory syndromes, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and their variants. It was shown that the entry of these viruses into host cells can be blocked by lectins with different carbohydrate-binding specificities. Therefore, the mechanisms by which lectins can block the entry of (highly glycosylated) enveloped viruses in their host cells deserves to be investigated as part of a “one health” approach.
The goal of this Research Topic therefore is to highlight current research related to the anti-viral effects of lectins for a variety of pathogenic enveloped viruses. We welcome Reviews, Original Research, Hypothesis and Theory, Opinion and Perspective articles dealing with but not limited to the following sub-themes:
- Identification and characterization of novel lectins from different sources with anti-viral properties against pathogenic enveloped viruses.
- Insights in the glycosylation pattern of pathogenic enveloped viruses to be used as potential targets for anti-viral lectins.
- Deciphering the mechanisms underlying the in vitro and in vivo anti-viral properties of lectins towards pathogenic enveloped virus.
- Insights in the cytotoxic and immunomodulatory effects of lectins that could hamper their use as tools for fighting against pathogenic enveloped viruses.
- Search for recombinant lectins tailored for improving their anti-viral properties against pathogenic enveloped viruses.
- Importance of protein-carbohydrate interactions for the infection process of enveloped viruses
- Synergistic effects between lectins and other biomolecules towards pathogenic enveloped viruses.
Plants, algae, fungi and cyanobacteria are a rich source of lectins with different specificities and have proven to act as carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs) for multiple pathogenic viruses, such as HIV-1. Especially, mannose-specific lectins target the high-mannose glycans of gp120 and gp40 surface glycoproteins of HIV-1, preventing the entry of viral particles into the host cells. In addition, other mechanisms involving CD4+ T cells play a key role in the anti-viral effects of lectins. Due to the high degree of N- and O-glycosylation on their envelope proteins, many pathogenic enveloped viruses could serve as targets for lectins with different specificities. Binding of the lectins could prevent these viruses from entering the corresponding host cells. However, the mechanisms underlining the in vitro and in vivo effects of lectins towards different enveloped viruses such as Ebola virus, Lassa virus, Zika and dengue virus, herpes virus, influenza virus, human cytomegalovirus and many others, are still poorly known, remain a matter of debate, and thus deserve to be studied in detail. This is also the case for enveloped viruses responsible for respiratory syndromes, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and their variants. It was shown that the entry of these viruses into host cells can be blocked by lectins with different carbohydrate-binding specificities. Therefore, the mechanisms by which lectins can block the entry of (highly glycosylated) enveloped viruses in their host cells deserves to be investigated as part of a “one health” approach.
The goal of this Research Topic therefore is to highlight current research related to the anti-viral effects of lectins for a variety of pathogenic enveloped viruses. We welcome Reviews, Original Research, Hypothesis and Theory, Opinion and Perspective articles dealing with but not limited to the following sub-themes:
- Identification and characterization of novel lectins from different sources with anti-viral properties against pathogenic enveloped viruses.
- Insights in the glycosylation pattern of pathogenic enveloped viruses to be used as potential targets for anti-viral lectins.
- Deciphering the mechanisms underlying the in vitro and in vivo anti-viral properties of lectins towards pathogenic enveloped virus.
- Insights in the cytotoxic and immunomodulatory effects of lectins that could hamper their use as tools for fighting against pathogenic enveloped viruses.
- Search for recombinant lectins tailored for improving their anti-viral properties against pathogenic enveloped viruses.
- Importance of protein-carbohydrate interactions for the infection process of enveloped viruses
- Synergistic effects between lectins and other biomolecules towards pathogenic enveloped viruses.