Unravelling the host-viral interaction mechanism is key to developing prophylactic and therapeutic drugs. Indeed, the interaction with the host can affect the regulation of viral replication and host immune responses. To take advantage of host cell machinery more efficiently and/or evade the immune response, viruses gain adaptive mutations following cross-species transmission, thus fully adapting to human beings. The host has various approaches to antagonize viral infection. The first line of host defence is innate immunity, required for initiating the adaptive immune responses. Programmed cell death and the inflammasome, critical components of innate immunity, are necessary for clearing the infected cells and mounting an adaptive immune response. However, viruses have evolved mechanisms to manipulate these innate pathways. Understanding these host-viral interactions can provide prospective critical insights for developing preventative and therapeutic modalities.
The Research Topic aims to advance the knowledge of the interaction between host and viruses causing respiratory and/or gastrointestinal tract infections in humans, including but not limited to coronaviruses (especially SARS-CoV-2), influenza viruses, adenoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, enterovirus 71 and norovirus. Specifically, we would like to:
• Identify gain-of-function mutations in the viral genome that play a role in human adaptations during cross-species infection and understand their biological functions,
• Understand the mechanisms underlying host sensing and signaling against virus invasion,
• Understand the mechanisms by which viruses evade host immunity,
• Unveil details on what types and mechanisms of programmed cell death and inflammasome activation following infection,
• Investigate viral pathogenesis to develop therapeutic drugs and broad-spectrum prophylactic vaccines.
Unravelling the host-viral interaction mechanism is key to developing prophylactic and therapeutic drugs. Indeed, the interaction with the host can affect the regulation of viral replication and host immune responses. To take advantage of host cell machinery more efficiently and/or evade the immune response, viruses gain adaptive mutations following cross-species transmission, thus fully adapting to human beings. The host has various approaches to antagonize viral infection. The first line of host defence is innate immunity, required for initiating the adaptive immune responses. Programmed cell death and the inflammasome, critical components of innate immunity, are necessary for clearing the infected cells and mounting an adaptive immune response. However, viruses have evolved mechanisms to manipulate these innate pathways. Understanding these host-viral interactions can provide prospective critical insights for developing preventative and therapeutic modalities.
The Research Topic aims to advance the knowledge of the interaction between host and viruses causing respiratory and/or gastrointestinal tract infections in humans, including but not limited to coronaviruses (especially SARS-CoV-2), influenza viruses, adenoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, enterovirus 71 and norovirus. Specifically, we would like to:
• Identify gain-of-function mutations in the viral genome that play a role in human adaptations during cross-species infection and understand their biological functions,
• Understand the mechanisms underlying host sensing and signaling against virus invasion,
• Understand the mechanisms by which viruses evade host immunity,
• Unveil details on what types and mechanisms of programmed cell death and inflammasome activation following infection,
• Investigate viral pathogenesis to develop therapeutic drugs and broad-spectrum prophylactic vaccines.
