Zoonotic virus-host interactions: Viral Hijacking of Host Metabolism, Mechanisms, Immune Evasion and Therapeutics

The persistent emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic viruses underscore a critical global health challenge. The complex interplay at the human-animal interface facilitates cross-species transmission, leading to outbreaks with epidemic and pandemic potential. A pivotal aspect of this process lies in the virus-host interaction, where zoonotic pathogens hijack fundamental host cellular processes, such as metabolic reprogramming, to enable their replication. Concurrently, they evolve sophisticated strategies to evade both the innate and adaptive immune responses of new host species, which is central to their successful establishment and pathogenicity. Conventional countermeasures, including specific antivirals and monoclonal antibodies, are often hampered by the rapid mutation rates and adaptive evolution of these viruses.

This topic aims to systematically investigate the molecular mechanisms underpinning how zoonotic viruses exploit host metabolic and immune signaling networks, with a dedicated focus on their immune evasion tactics. Building on this foundational knowledge, our goal is to pioneer novel therapeutic antibodies and antiviral agents. Furthermore, we seek to leverage emerging immunological insights to design broad-spectrum vaccines and innovative immunoprevention strategies, thereby constructing a comprehensive defense chain against zoonotic viral threats, spanning from treatment to prevention.

We invite article types including reviews, and encourage contributions on, but not limited to, the following subtopics:
(1) Molecular mechanisms of viral-induced metabolic rewiring in zoonosis (e.g., lipid droplet exploitation, mitochondrial dysfunction).
(2) Host defense against zoonotic viruses: replication complexes, membrane remodeling, autophagy, metabolic checkpoints in immunity, trained immunity.
(3) Metabolic targets for intervention: lipid/glucose transporters, key enzymes (e.g., FASN, ACC), signaling pathways (e.g., AMPK, mTOR) in the context of cross-species infection.
(4) Translational applications: metabolomics in diagnostics of zoonotic infections, small-molecule inhibitors, nanovaccines.
(5) Treatment and prevention of zoonotic diseases: therapeutic drugs, antibody and vaccines research.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: virus-host interactions, metabolic reprogramming, viral pathogenesis, vaccine development, immune evasion, Zoonotic virus, therapeutic drugs, antibodies, lipid metabolism

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.